


𝑰'𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆!

by gowhyejuu



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Abuse, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alcohol, Anxiety, Best Friends, Blood and Violence, Bullying, Child Abuse, Depression, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Lesbian Character, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Minor Character Death, Mythology - Freeform, Original Character(s), Original Wiccan Characters, Past Abuse, Sad with a Happy Ending, Secret Relationship, Violence, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:28:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 60,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28974372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gowhyejuu/pseuds/gowhyejuu
Summary: Chaewon and Hyejoo are witches that have lived a pretty confusing and challenging life, both being confused of the mystery surrounding their families. After meeting for the first time, they gradually realize the similarities between themselves and the people around them, leading them down a journey of their past and the history of witches as a whole.Along the way, they get closer to a bunch of women at their university - all witches, humans, and other non-human species - that put the pieces of the puzzle together. Little do they know of how connected they actually are.UPDATE: Chapter NineUpdates every five days!(make sure to read the tags before reading.)
Relationships: Choi Yerim | Choerry & Im Yeojin, Ha Sooyoung | Yves/Kim Jiwoo | Chuu, Jeon Heejin/Kim Hyunjin, Jo Haseul/Viian Wong | ViVi, Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul/Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip, Park Chaewon | Go Won/Son Hyejoo | Olivia Hye
Comments: 34
Kudos: 81





	1. 𝑰 - 𝑨𝒘𝒌𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back!
> 
> Before reading, please look over the tags. Unlike my previous fics, this one won't be as easy as a read. Even though the beginning might seem harmless, the fic will gradually get darker and talk about heavier subject matter (hence why I rated it as M).
> 
> If any of the subjects in the tags are triggering for you, please don't read or at least pay attention if there are any warnings at the beginning of the chapter.
> 
> Even though I won't go into detail with most of the tags, there might be a few parts that will be difficult to read. A few parts - specifically those about mental health, bullying, emotional abuse - reflect what I've been through and therefore might be explained further.
> 
> Please look at the beginning of every chapter just in case there is a trigger warning.
> 
> With that being said, please enjoy <3

"Please! Have mercy on me!" a young witch begged with tears racing down her cheeks. She continued to struggle in the chair as the tightness of the ropes dug into her arms, wrists, and legs. Cuts and bruises were all over her body, making her cringe in pain every time the rope pressed onto it.

"You think I'm going to listen to a rat like you?" the man standing over her said, fuming as he brought down the knife in his hand into the witch's thigh. 

The witch cried out while the man continued to pierce her leg with the knife, wearing a demonic grin on his face.

"I've been waiting for an opportunity to do this with one of your kind," the man told her, finally taking the knife out of her leg. "But while hearing your shrieks is music to my ears, it's time to end this."

"P-Please..." the witch continued to weep but the villainous look in the man's eyes told her that his mind has made. There was nothing she could do to stop him.

But just as she accepted her fate, there was finally a sign that someone was here to rescue her. All of a sudden, the lights to the basement was cut off.

"What the hell??" the man exclaimed, not being able to even see the victim in front of him. 

Neither of them could see anything but the witch swore she could feel the presence of another powerful being in the room - several perhaps. The man was on high alert, gripping onto the knife firmly as he stayed vigilant.

"Is anyone there??" the man yelled into the darkness. "Show yourself!"

A devious laugh echoed through the darkroom. Before the man could take another shaky step, the knife in his hand was unexplainably taken from his hand and flew across the room. 

"Who the fu-" 

A hand was placed over his mouth while a different hand was around his torso, forcibly bringing him into the body of someone behind him. Soft breathing was against his ear until he heard the words:

"It's time for you to pay for your crimes."

The next thing the man saw was glowing violet eyes gradually getting closer to him, watching over him like a predator. The closer the person got, the easier that the man was able to see the masked face of a woman. She took her finger and placed it on the space between the man's eyes.

"Shh...It will all be over soon..." The masked woman whispered just before taking that same finger and dragging it downwards to the man's chest. 

The tip of the woman's finger glowed the same color as her eyes as she began to draw a symbol on his chest, being able to be seen through the traces of light left behind. When she finished, she pulled back and the second woman let go of him, throwing him to the ground. 

The man tried to stand back up and fight back until he felt a burning sensation in his chest. He began to cough and put both of his hands to his chest, the scorching feeling only increasing every second.

"What did you fucking do to me?!" The man shouted before letting out a few guttural coughs. "You damn witches!"

"You only did this to yourself," a new woman said as she came up to him. "The council made a deal with you to halt your immoral practices and yet you still decided to continue. When you break our contracts, you should be prepared for these consequences. We spared you once but never again."

"You truly thought I would stick by that damn contract?!" the man exclaimed. "Your kind deserves to have been slaughtered centuries ago! You all are nothing but trouble!"

"And it is this ignorance that is leading to your overdue demise," the same woman remarked, smugness in her tone. "We will report you and your men to our council and they will deal with the ones we were unable to handle already. You should have just listened but I suppose humans are all the same."

The man began to make certain sounds as if he was being suffocated, unable to respond properly.

"F-Fuck all of you..."

"Your last words sum up my thoughts on people like you. Goodbye."

The last sound to come from the man was an ear-piercing shriek followed by complete silence. The man laid lifeless on the floor, causing the witches to smirk. 

When they were certain that he was dead, the one with the violet eyes snapped her fingers and the lights came on once again. The three of them looked over to see that the fourth member of their group had already untied the victim, calming her down.

"You're safe now," that witch said, smiling genuinely. She noticed the injury on the victim's thigh and placed her hand over it. By the time she lifted her hand, the cut began to heal and the pain from it slowly subsided. "This will help you for now. You'll be treated properly when we get you out of here."

"Thank you..." The younger witch began to cry happily. 

"Heejin, can you deal with the body?" The oldest witch advised. 

"I got it," Heejin, the one with violet eyes, complied. "But do we have to give him to the council? We could just burn his body and get it over with."

"Rules are rules. The council required we should hand him over so we will not disobey them."

"Fine," Heejin rolled her eyes. "Jinsoul, you really need to learn to loosen up a bit."

"When it comes to this line of work and the well-being of our kind, I have to be serious," Jinsoul told her dourly. "Come on, it will be quick and we can back to the campus in two hours. Jungeun and Hyejoo can take the victim to seek medical attention by a different coven in the area."

"We should hurry since Hyejoo is pretty busy tomorrow, right?" Jungeun, the one tending to the victim's wounds, remembered. "Isn't your roommate moving in?"

"Yeah, don't remind me," Hyejoo, the final witch, sighed. "I'm hoping she isn't one of those noisy humans."

"Maybe she'll be a witch like you," Jungeun theorized. "You never know."

"Doubt that..."

"Enough chatter, we have to go before we're caught," Jinsoul instructed. "Heejin, get us out of here."

"Gladly," Heejin nodded as she started to draw a symbol in thin air.

A few seconds after the drawing was finished, the four witches, the young witch victim, and the body of the man were all teleported out of the basement.

***

Chaewon looked out of the car window as her parents got closer to her university's campus. The area was bustling with young adults, most of them grabbing their belongings out of their cats to move into their dorms. As she saw the number of students, the throat began to tighten as worrying thoughts filled her head.

"Don't be nervous, sweetheart," her first mother told her repeatedly in different forms as they drove up to Chaewon's dorm building. "You'll do amazing in university! You just need to stay focus and I'm certain that you'll be just fine."

"You know that's not my biggest fear," Chaewon sighed. 

"Yes, there are most likely a lot of humans around," her second mother agreed. "But if you just lay low and not draw unwanted attention, they should not suspect a thing. The good thing about university is that most people pay more attention to themselves than other people. You are one in thousands so there's nothing to stress about."

Chaewon nodded but still watched every person that caught her eye.

Being a witch was something that she always cherished since childhood. It meant that you grew up in a world of magic and wonder, which only continued as long as you desired. However, when there were humans that are willing to chop off your head for being one, it certainly dampers the enjoyment quite a bit. Chaewon found it strange that humans would kill those who were born into what they are just because they are different.

Humans were truly strange creatures. They would let misunderstandings turn into fear and then let that fear turn into hatred. All of the reasons they have for murdering witches were lackluster and only revealed the ignorance of these people. Every argument was based on the ancient and skewed text that seemed to show witches in a negative light. Why humans believe in a fifteenth-century text over modern-day revelations was beyond her.

These led to witches having to mask their identity. Luckily, there was no definite feature that could distinguish a witch from a human. For example, all witches were female and lesbians but not all females and lesbians were witches. Their appearance also looked like humans so no one could not tell but just looking at them. The only way was to be exposed or to be caught doing magic. The only way witches can recognize other witches was through their aura but some were weaker than others.

Chaewon would say that she had been doing quite a good job hiding her identity since the only people to know are only two of her friends, who are not witches but have a small connection with magic. Despite this, the fear of being around so many humans were still present even after all of the reassurance from her mothers. Being discovered could lead to kidnappings and even death if the human is that extreme. But even if those things did not happen, your reputation on Earth would be tarnished and there was no hope for you.

"Just don't let anyone know you are a witch," her second mother told her. "That's the best thing you can do."

"Although, you should attempt to join a coven if you can," her first mother suggested. "You could rely on each other and protect one another from hunters."

"I'll try," Chaewon nodded. Becoming part of a coven required for her to find a witch, which was easier said than done.

The car was finally parked outside of the dorm building and they began to get out Chaewon's belongings. They would have to make multiple trips not just because of the number of large containers but also because of the importance of these containers. A few of them contained a few of her rare crystals, valuable wiccan items, wiccan books, and much more related to her practice. 

Before going into the elevator during their first trip, Chaewon checked a few text messages.

"My roommate said she's out but will be back in an hour so don't be surprised if the door opens suddenly," Chaewon summarized. 

"I hope you two can be good friends!" her first mother said as they went inside the elevator. "Or maybe even girlfriends?"

"Please stop..." Chaewon groaned. "That's not going to happen, especially if she's a human."

"Honestly, I don't understand why you all are strict with dating within your own species. Back when I was in school, I didn't care who it was as long as they accepted me."

"And yet you ended up marrying another faery," Chaewon noted. 

Both of her adoptive parents were faeries, which made for an interesting upbringing. It did make her a lot more knowledgeable on species besides just humans and witches, as well as aligning with her being a faery witch. However, her mothers did not know a lot about witches since Chaewon was brought to them at short notice. Ever since nine years old, her whole life had been trial and error but it all worked out in the end. The best part was that Chaewon was on Earth a lot longer than most witches her age since her parents could hide their wings and faery features with ease.

"Look, I don't mind dating other species since I think it's a pretty dumb rule," Chaewon agreed. "But it's much harder these days. I honestly commend any witch who can date other species."

The family made it to the dormroom and unlocked the door, carrying the containers inside. Luckily, there were two separate rooms inside the dormroom so the two of them could have some privacy. Chaewon has the "A" room so she unlocked and went into that room to unpack.

"Where do you want this?" her second mother asked while struggling to carry a heavy container. 

"Just place it under my bed," Chaewon told her. "They're all my wiccan items so I'll arrange them later."

"I just can't believe that our daughter is actually going to uni," her first mother began to cry. "She's growing up so fast!"

Chaewon groaned but allowed for her mother to babble on. For humans, your child going away from for schooling was emotional since it is a sign of maturity from leaving the house. This was not new for witches as all of them went to these kinds of schooling through their childhood. Depending on the witch type they were given at birth, all witches would go to a boarding school that would educate them on that type once discovered at the age of nine. So, she did not understand why her parents were so emotional when this was the norm until high school.

An hour later, Chaewon's room was set up besides the special container under her bed. The witch was about to send her faery mothers away until she heard the door unlock.

Chaewon watched as a young woman stepped into the dormroom, pausing when they met eyes. Her roommate was taller than her, only by about three inches. She had black hair with grey ends - being long enough to reach her waist. Her outfit consisted of a black cropped hoodie and cargo pants of the same color, along with several chains attached. 

"You're Hyejoo, right?" Chaewon asked, holding out her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Hey," Hyejoo shook her hand briefly and pulled her hand away. "Don't mind me."

Hyejoo bowed respectfully and went inside her room, leaving the family to themselves. 

"Hmm, she seems interesting," her first mother commented. "Maybe a little shy. I'm sure that you all will get along well!"

"Maybe..." Chaewon hummed, thinking about the strange interaction.

One thing that intrigued her was she could feel a surge go through her arms as they shook hands. One of the abilities Chaewon had been developing was the sensing of non-human beings. She could definitely feel some supernatural power come off of Hyejoo, so it was safe to assume that her roommate was at least not mortal. That gave Chaewon at least the reassurance to calm her worries a bit. However, she could not tell if Hyejoo could feel the aura from her.

"Well, kid, I guess it's time for us to leave," her second mother announced, glancing at her wife for a few seconds. "But before we leave, we have an important message to give you. It's from her birth mother."

"Wh-What?" Chaewon stuttered in disbelief. "How??"

"She told us to not give this message to you until you turned eighteen," her first mother explained, handing Chaewon a sealed envelope. "That's still in two months but I suppose that's close enough. If you want to wait then that's fine as well."

"I'll open it as soon as you leave," Chaewon stated, analyzing the envelope while trying to grasp the information. "Thank you. Not just for giving me this but for taking care of me through all these years. I really appreciate you both."

"Aw, you are so welcome, sweetie!" her first mother beamed. "I have faith that you will do just fine! And before you know it, you'll be out of here!"

"Just remember to lay low," her second mother reminded her in a whisper. "Attention is a non-human being's worst nightmare. The fewer people who know you, the better the chance of your survival. Hunters may not be as prevalent as a few decades ago but they are still around and often target young adults. Always watch your back."

"I understand," Chaewon nodded. "I promise I will."

Chaewon hugged her mothers and they finally left the dormroom. The moment she locked the door, the witch hurried into her room and closed the door. She sat down at her desk and tore open the envelope, not wasting a single second. 

When pulled out the contents of the envelope, she found two things inside. The first was the actual letter, which was too eager to unfold and read. But the second item caught her attention, which was a pair of glasses. To a human, this would be weird to receive. But witches are known to have magical items through common everyday things in order to hide their practice. 

Before looking into the item, she read the letter first as she was overly excited to hear anything from her birth mother. Chaewon knew of her birth mother and had been very close to her before being adopted by the two faeries. Unfortunately, the last she heard of her was when she said that she would go on a "special mission". Her birth mother did not know when she would return but Chaewon always had faith that she would. This is the first time in over eight years that any message from her birth mother was given.

Chaewon unfolded the letter and immediately began to read:

𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓,

𝑰𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒂 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆, 𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒊𝒕? 𝑰'𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒖𝒑𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚. 𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚, 𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏.

𝑵𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰'𝒎 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒍 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒇𝒆𝒘 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒕 𝒊𝒕. 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝑰 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒅.

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅, 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚, 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒆𝒘 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖:

1\. 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒐𝒏 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉.

2\. 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒇 "𝑳𝒆𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒖𝒍". 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒆, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆.

3\. 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝑴𝒊𝒉𝒊 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒉𝒆𝒓: "𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 100521?"

4\. 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓.

𝑩𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔, 𝑰 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌. 𝑫𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑺𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏. 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒐𝒃𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅. 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕.

𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒕. 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌.

𝑰 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏,

𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚, 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.

Chaewon was stunned by every part of this letter. There was plenty to take in and she did not even know where to start. Part of her was overjoyed that her mother was going to back soon but another part of her was worried about the tasks given to her. It involved interacting with many people, which was not the best at. However, she wanted to help her birth mother any way she could and if these steps could do that, then she will do it. Hopefully, everything will go smoothly because going against the council was dangerous business.

Chaewon did not know how she would find this Jinsoul person but it was the only way to get started. She would wait until the university has settled to search around since she could have a better chance. However, finding one person among thousands was challenging.

But for now, Chaewon would rest and deal with this later. 

"I guess I'll see you soon, mother," Chaewon smiled, kissing the letter before placing it back in the envelope. "Please stay safe."

***

"So, how is she like?" Jungeun asked, setting down her drink. "Is she cute?"

"Why would you care if she was?" Hyejoo asked after swallowing the bite of her cheeseburger. "You're already dating my sister."

"You know that's not what I meant!" Jungeun chuckled. "I mean, what did she look like?"

"Uh, she has blue hair. And... that's all I remember. I went into my room soon after meeting her."

"That's it?"

"Yeah? What, did you want me to state every detail?" Hyejoo questioned. "She's pretty cute, I guess, but why should you care?"

"Because I wanted to know if she seems like..." Jungeun leaned in so that the other tables around in the cafeteria could not hear. "a witch?"

"I mean, she might be," Hyejoo shrugged. "I'm not that great with recognizing auras as you can but I thought I felt something. If you run into her, maybe you can figure it out."

"Ooh, that's a great idea! Maybe we can all go out for dinner tomorrow night when Jinsoul moves in!" Jungeun suggested. "What's her name?"

"Chaewon and are you sure we should do that?" Hyejoo asked hesitantly. "What if she's just human and then we're stuck with her? I don't want any connections with humans."

"Well, there's only one way to find out! Besides, I wouldn't mind having a human friend if she's adorable!"

"Of course you wouldn't..."

Unlike herself, Jungeun was probably the least worried about humans in their coven. While everyone else avoided human interactions at all cost unless necessary, she would never mind spending hours with one - which was rare for witches.

"Hey, is that her over there?"

Hyejoo turned to the direction Jungeun was pointing at, towards a table in the corner. There sat three women, with one of them indeed being Chaewon.

"Yeah, that's her."

"She's pretty," Jungeun complimented, admiring her. "I should introduce myself!"

"What? No!" Hyejoo protested, nearly spitting out her drink. "Don't bother her, especially if she is around human friends."

"But if I meet her, maybe I could sense her aura and know if she's one of us," Jungeun argued. "Also because I'm curious who you're going to spend your whole freshman year of university with!"

Before Hyejoo could make another argument, Jungeun had already stood up and began walking to the table. The younger witch could of let her go but ended up following her instead.

"...And then she went to her room in a hurry," Chaewon finished telling her two of her closest friends, Jiwoo and Yerim. "But she did seem introverted based on our conversation via text so maybe we'll get along."

"Hmm, a little shy but your roommate still sounds pretty cute," Jiwoo commented before smirking. "And maybe you two could be...more than friends?"

"You sound just like my mothers," Chaewon groaned. "Anyway, she doesn't seem very interested in getting too close to people so I doubt it."

"Well, if that were true, then why is she coming over with a friend right now?" Yerim asked, looking past her blue-haired friend. 

"What?" Chaewon whirled her head around. Indeed, it was Hyejoo walking behind this blonde-haired woman. 

"Hello!" The blonde woman waved when reaching the table. "I heard you were my friend's roommate and so I thought it would be nice if we could meet. I'm Jungeun, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Jiwoo!" Jiwoo beamed. "Chaewon was just telling us about Hyejoo! Seems like you they will great friends!"

"Jiwoo..." Chaewon bowed her head in embarrassment. 

"What? Don't you?"

"It's true but..." 

Chaewon glanced up to see if Hyejoo had any reactions. The younger's eyes widened briefly when hearing this but mostly had a neutral expression, not being uncomfortable but clearly not wanting to be engaged either.

"Wait, I've seen you before," Yerim recognized, pointing at Jungeun. "Your roommate is Haseul, right? She's one of my friends."

"Really? Small world!" Jungeun gasped. "I guess some people are just meant to meet!"

"I'd say!" Yerim giggled. 

Jungeun, Jiwoo, and Yerim continued to conversate while the two roommates remained silent, repeatedly meeting each other's gaze and looking away awkwardly. Chaewon was not the best at socializing but she at least wanted to make an effort with Hyejoo. They would live together for a while after all. 

"Your friend certainly is...social," Chaewon joked. "Must be fun."

"If you put it adequately, then yes," Hyejoo sighed. "Sorry for bothering you."

"No, it's fine," Chaewon reassured. "I don't mind making friends. And it's good to finally see you for more than a few seconds."

"Oh, yeah, I guess..."

"Well, it's great to meet all of you!" Jungeun grinned, getting Chaewon's friends' phone numbers and ending the conversation. "We have to go but hopefully we'll run into each other again."

"Hopefully! Have a good day," Jiwoo said as Jungeun and Hyejoo left. "They were nice."

"Yeah... Really nice," Chaewon nodded. She could not help but notice the aura coming off of Jungeun, which made her theorize she was also non-human. If they were truly immortals, maybe it would be best to get to know them.

"You're so embarrassing..." Hyejoo hissed as they walked away, with herself moving at a faster pace. 

"What? I can't help but meet new people," Jungeun giggled. "But anyway, I was able to read the aura coming off of Chaewon and I can tell she's not human. Maybe you could to know her then!"

"That's at least better than human but not all non-humans are trustworthy," Hyejoo reminded her. 

It was true that there was a wedge between humans and non-humans that dated back for centuries, therefore causing all non-humans to support each other in some ways. However, the different ideologies and morals of each non-human species causing some to be more hostile than others. It was best to be careful with anyone who is not a witch.

"Well, I still think you should give her a chance," Jungeun advised. "She could make a good friend. At least try to speak to her."

"Maybe, anyway, don't we have somewhere important to be?" Hyejoo quickly changed the subject. "My sister wanted to meet with us today."

"That's true," Jungeun remembered as they sat back at their table. "Then let's finish eating so we can leave."

"Sure," Hyejoo nodded in agreement. 

As Hyejoo finished her lunch, she could not help but take a glimpse of Chaewon now and then. Something about her seemed familiar but she did not know why.

***

By the evening, Chaewon carefully arranged her books and journals on her desk. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was finish the last stage of unpacking, which was organizing most of her wiccan items.

At one point, she pulled out a pouch inside the container and reached inside to reveal a charm bracelet. After putting it around her wrist, she whispered:

"Evelyn? You can come out now."

Suddenly, the charm that was in the shape of a cat began to glow, and eventually, a black cat appeared on her desk, looking up at her in annoyance.

"About time," Evelyn, the black cat, said in frustration, stretching out her body. "It was getting cramped in there. A cat like me needs to be let out every few hours in order to keep her figure."

"Well, hello to you too," Chaewon rolled her eyes with a smile. "You know I have to be careful now that in university. I can't risk anyone learning about you."

All witches had familiars that were usually small animals that would take the shape of a common object. For Chaewon, her animal was actually a butterfly named Fleur who rarely ever spoke but would often be good with navigation and would help her with plenty of her small problems.

Evelyn, on the other hand, was not her familiar but her birth mother's. She had given her the charm before she left so Chaewon cherished it ever since. Evelyn was the only sign she had that her mother was alive since familiars always died with their owners due to their close connection from birth. The black cat was probably her closest friend, even if she was a bit of a handful at times - and extremely talkative.

"So, you're already settled into your dorm, huh?" Evelyn noticed, looking around the neat but packed room. "Anything interesting happened since you locked me in that container?"

"I got a letter from my birth mother," Chaewon told her, setting down the note. "My adoptive parents were told not to give to me until I was around eighteen so here it is. Turns out I have a bit of research to do."

"Ooh, let me read!" Evelyn said eagerly while reading over the letter. "Oh my Chloris, we're exposing the witch council?? Count me in!"

"We're not exposing," Chaewon denied. "We're just helping my mother uncover a secret, that's all."

"Yes but what if the secret is juicy enough to expose? It could be fun!"

"And we could be executed."

"Nah, not if we're sneaky enough!"

"I'm only doing this for my mother so no exposing involved," Chaewon stared firmly. "Besides, going against the council is beyond dangerous."

The witch council consisted of the nine oldest witches to ever exist. While they were strict and handed out severe punishments to those who broke their rules, they were doing everything they could to protect their kind. As long as Chaewon followed the "Wicca Rules", then she should be in good standing with them:

𝟭\. 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵, 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.

𝟮\. 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁.

𝟯\. 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁.

𝟰\. 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗱𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘀.

𝟱\. 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀.

𝟲\. 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

𝟳\. 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹.

𝟴\. 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀.

Now, some rules received less of a punishment than others. The third rule usually did not result in any harsh consequences as mistakes do happen. It was moreso as a way to protect witches from the full moon's effects on witches, which can cause them to enter a drunk-like state that could lead them to be taken advantage of. The rest varied depending on the situation but the seventh rule was the one that could easily result in death. There are witches who break some of these rules since the council would not know unless they were told. But the seventh rule was unanimously considered as the rule no one breaks under any circumstances.

"Fine," Evelyn rolled her eyes. "So, if we're not doing anything interesting right now, why did you summon me now?"

"Because you can help me finish arranging my desk!" 

"I'd rather take a nap," Evelyn frowned while her ears drooped. "Can't we do try some spells or something?"

"Not until tomorrow when I do a cleansing and protection ritual, as well as give faery offerings," Chaewon told her. "So you have to be patient."

"You're so boring..." 

"Are you going to help me or not?" 

Evelyn rolled her eyes but ended up helping her master anyway. 

"𝘖𝘬𝘢𝘺, 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺! 𝘐'𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨!"

When Chaewon had just finished organizing everything, she heard someone shouting outside of her door. Considering there were only herself and her roommate in the room, the person had to be Hyejoo.

"𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦! 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦!"

"Is that your roommate?" Evelyn asked. "She sounds angry."

"Yeah but she is a nice person, I think," Chaewon nodded. "I can tell she is also non-human so I should feel comfortable around her at least. Maybe-"

𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘬. 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘬. 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘬.

Chaewon paused when she heard knocking at her door. When she heard a few more knocks, she quickly rushed to the door.

"Oh, hi!" Chaewon said when opening the door, with her roommate being on the other side. 

"Sorry for bothering you," Hyejoo apologized. "Jungeun wanted me to ask you to go to dinner tomorrow. You can bring your other friends too."

"Oh, okay! I'll come!" Chaewon smiled. "What time?"

"Six o'clock. We can leave together if you want."

"Alright, thanks for the invite!"

"Right," Hyejoo mumbled. "I'm gonna be out for a while. See you tomorrow...I guess."

Hyejoo turned away soon after and headed out of the door, leaving Chaewon bewildered.

"What's up with her?" Evelyn asked, noting the younger's strange behavior.

"She's probably just shy," Chaewon theorized unsurely. "Most people are awkward around people they just met."

"Right..." Evelyn said, unconvinced. 

Chaewon stared at the door for a few seconds before returning to her room. Certainly, it had to be shyness that caused Hyejoo to act that way, right? Or maybe she does not know that Chaewon was also non-human and was being cautious? 

Hopefully, that was the truth.

***

"I have to commend you all for your hard work, I'm impressed," the council leader said, looking over the list in front of her. "Many of our major threats have been taken care of in one way or another. The death rate of our kind has decreased within the last three months."

"Thank you," Jinsoul appreciated while she and her three coven mates bowed. 

"Since you all have mostly dealt with everything, I do have one more issue I need you four to tackle," the council leader continued. "There is an underground organization that has been gaining members within the last month. Some of our kind has gone missing in these few weeks and I want you four to investigate."

"And we will," Jinsoul confirmed. "Where do we start?"

"Wait, are other people joining us?" Heejin asked suspiciously. "Because I don't know if you realize this but we're starting school in a week. We won't have as much time as during the summer."

"There will be others but I still want you to lead in the investigation," the council leader stated. "You all have the most experience and work together quite well. I will ensure that this will not impede on your school work and classes."

"Then we will do it," Jinsoul insisted without hesitation. "Thank you for entrusting us. We promise that we will never let you down."

"Tsk, suck-up," Heejin mumbled, subtly rolling her eyes. 

"Where do we start?" Jungeun questioned.

"That's the issue - it is unclear where we can begin," the council leader told them. "We know it's around your area but the kidnappings are so spread out. Just keep your eye out on anything suspicious for now and we will update you on any discoveries."

"Well, that isn't new," Hyejoo remarked. "These hunters have gotten better at covering their tracks."

"Precisely, which is why I need you all," the council leader nodded. "Now, if there are no more questions, you may leave. I will contact you some time next week."

"Thank you for your time," Jinsoul bowed once more before the four of them left the office.

"𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯," Heejin repeated in a mocking tone once the office door was closed, causing Jungeun and Hyejoo to laugh. "Geez, could you be more ass-kisser?"

"I simply was being polite to our elders," Jinsoul defended herself. "If you see that as kissing someone's ass, then so be it."

"You act like they're some kind of savior..."

"Their presence and leadership have only helped witches from being killed so I would say they are," Jinsoul argued. "You should be grateful."

"Right..." Heejin said sarcastically. "Anyway, I gotta go. I have a... special event to attend tonight."

"Special event? Ooh, like a date?" Jungeun asked, raising her eyebrows in intrigue.

"Sure, you can call it that."

"So, who's the lucky lady?" Jungeun sang with curiosity. "Do we know her?"

"Maybe you do, maybe you don't, but I'm not telling you," Heejin told her vaguely. 

"You underestimate my ability to figure out these sorts of things," Jungeun said proudly. "I'm a social butterfly so I'll find the witch you're talking about."

"I doubt that," Heejin commented with a smirk. "Anyway, see you bitches later."

"Bye!" Jungeun waved as Heejin drew a symbol in midair, casting a spell that made her teleport away.

"So, Hyejoo, how was your roommate?" Jinsoul asked. "Hopefully, she isn't too annoying, right?"

"Chaewon is...nice, I guess," Hyejoo responded. "I don't know much about her but she's at least non-human. Although, Jungeun is making us have dinner with her so maybe that will change..."

"Getting to know her wouldn't be so bad but remember to be cautious," Jinsoul warned. "If you need me, just call me or Jungeun."

"You don't have to worry about me, I can take care of myself."

"I know you're capable of defending yourself but I'm not going to have my little sister get kidnapped," Jinsoul stated firmly, looking genuinely into Hyejoo's eyes. "Just be careful."

"I will," Hyejoo sighed. "But don't expect me to be friends with her or anything."

"We'll see," Jungeun chuckled smugly. 

"I'm serious, I'm not looking for any friends," Hyejoo strictly stated. "We'll just be casual roommates, that's it. I can promise you that. We'll probably barely not even know each other that well."

Jungeun smirked. "If you say so..."


	2. 𝑰𝑰 - 𝑹𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑴𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 - 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙖𝙬𝙠𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧

Chaewon carried her basket as she strolled through the serene and crystalline forest. She had arrived at this location not long ago, using a spell that specifically teleported to this location. Here, the witch was able to collect specific flowers and berries that would be used for faery offerings, which would ensure that the little creatures would protect her from dark energy in return. 

Chaewon had always had a deep connection with faeries ever since she was destined to be a faery witch. Once she was adopted by two faeries, she got to know more about the species. It was possible to meet faeries casually since they had the ability to look like humans; although, most faeries just remained in their regular form, which included being the size of a hand with small wings. Chaewon has met plenty of faeries and maintained a solid relationship with them so she had to make sure that continued.

So far, Chaewon had gotten different types of flowers - including cowslips, daisies, forget-me-nots, and irises - as well as types of berries - including blackberries, elderberries, and wild damsons. She still wanted to collect a bit more for back-up in case school would get in the way. She would return within the next few days in order to gather materials for rituals, concoctions, and spells.

"Hm, I could get some ferns as well," Chaewon suggested to herself, examining her basket. "I still have some time."

Chaewon walked across the rocks in the pond, searching for ferns that usually inhabited the other side of the forest. As she was approaching the area, she began to hear the shutter of a camera nearby. When the faery witch stepped closer, she finally saw a young woman next to the spot she was heading. 

When analyzing a bit closer, she recognized the woman as her roommate. She was taking pictures of the scenery as well as of a grey wolf, who she was gleefully playing with. This was the first time Chaewon had seen Hyejoo smile and it honestly was heartwarming to see, along with the small giggles that resembled an eager child.

After admiring the scene for a few minutes, Chaewon began to question how Hyejoo got here. Sure, this forest was not only for her but only her family and a few faery friends knew about it. The only people she ever saw here were faeries so seeing her roommate was surprising. Was Hyejoo secretly a faery or was there more to the story? But then again, it was also strange to see a wolf here and the pair looked to be close so it was possible that the animal was her familiar. Only witches had those so maybe she was also a faery witch?

When Chaewon was about to give them some privacy, the wolf began to bark in her direction. That caused Hyejoo to turn around and notice her presence.

"Chaewon?" Hyejoo called out. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing," Chaewon remarked, walking up to them. "I've never seen you before. And, unless you're a faery or close to my family, I don't know how you got access to this realm."

"I've never seen you either and I've been here for years," Hyejoo told her. "Maybe it's just coincidence. But, considering your comment, I'm guessing you must be faery then?"

"Close, faery witch," Chaewon stated. In retrospect, maybe she should not be so quick to tell her about what she is but she still comfortable doing so, somehow. "And...are you one as well? I sensed you were not human by your aura but I was never sure."

"Not exactly," Hyejoo denied. "I'm a witch, yes, but my type is dragonic."

"Oh, that makes sense," Chaewon understood. It was not only relieving that her roommate was a witch but her type was convenient as well. Faery witches and dragonic witches were always close due to their respect for mythical creatures and their introverted nature. 

"Well, it's good to hear that you're like me," Chaewon smiled. "Also, that kinda explains a bit about you. You seem pretty quiet and hesitant around others."

"Oh, yeah," Hyejoo simply agreed, her demeanor slightly shifting. "Anyway, I was just leaving. Sorry for bothering you."

"Oh no, you weren't," Chaewon reassured. "But I'll see you tonight."

"Mhm," Hyejoo nodded as she began to walk away with her familiar.

"Hold on...wait!" Chaewon called out but the duo was already walked far away and teleported before she could ask her a question.

'𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?...'

***

Later at the dinner, the awkward tension between the two was much more present and Chaewon did not know why. 

Every time Chaewon would try to speak to her, Hyejoo would find a way to either avoid and ignore the question. It was strange because the faery witch could not recall what happened to make her roommate act this way. Even while Jungeun was trying to start up a conversation, Hyejoo would be daydreaming and barely paying attention to anyone, only silently eating her food.

"So, you're actually majoring in fashion design?" Jungeun asked in amazement. "That sounds like fun!"

"It is since fashion is a huge passion of mine!" Jiwoo nodded with a grin. "Plus, my sister works in the fashion industry so she's like my biggest inspiration."

"And I'm doing criminal justice," Yerim added. "Mostly because of how corrupted the justice system is. It really pissed me off when I see criminals only get a slap on the wrist for harming those due to them being different. I thought I could make a change!"

"Aw, we definitely need more people like you," Jiwoo complimented.

Chaewon smiled at this because, despite Yerim being vague, she comprehended the in-depth meaning behind her words. Yerim was also non-human but not a witch. She was an elf but could mask her ears so she would not be detected. Elves were common on Earth and while they were not as targeted as witches, they did experience discrimination. Yerim actually had to move out of her original town due to harassment so the pain she felt always drove her actions and desires to help others.

"It's my second year so I'm already a theatre major, along with a friend of mine who's starting this year," Jungeun explained. "And Hyejoo is doing film production!"

Hyejoo frowned when she heard this, seemingly annoyed that her name was brought up.

"Oh...that's nice!" Chaewon smiled while shifting the attention towards her. "I'm doing graphic design since I am into digital art."

"That sounds cool!" Jungeun beamed. "Maybe you two could work together since you both are pretty artsy with technology!"

"Right, I'll be right back," Hyejoo said while standing up. "I'm going to get a drink."

"Hurry back!" Jungeun encouraged while Hyejoo walked away. 

When Chaewon was sure that she was gone and that her two friends were distracted, she turned to Jungeun and whispered:

"Is there something wrong with her? She seems... frustrated. Is it me?"

"No, honey, it's not you," Jungeun reassured. "Hyejoo is always like this with new people. Let's just say it's...her staying true to her origins."

"Being a dragonic witch, right?"

"That's part of it- wait, you know about that?"

"We, uh, kinda had a strange meet up earlier in a secret realm," Chaewon elaborated. "We spoke a bit but she left soon after."

"Hm, then I'm guessing you're a witch, too?"

"Faery witch."

"Ah, I understand," Jungeun nodded, keeping her voice at a low volume. "You're kinda open with people you just met, huh? What if I was a hunter?"

"Wait," Chaewon's eyes widened. "I just thought that since you were friends and the aura that you-"

"Don't worry, sweetie, I'm not a hunter," Jungeun giggled. "You assumed correctly. I'm a witch like you both, a green witch to be exact."

Chaewon let out a sigh of relief when she heard that she was also a witch. Considering her motherly and friendly personality, it was no wonder that Jungeun was a green witch. This type of witch dealt with nature and medicines, so most of them were nurses or pharmacists in different realms. They were known to be the most approachable and genuine so Jungeun fit that common type perfectly. 

"And, to fully answer your question, Hyejoo is upset at all," Jungeun finished. "She just takes a while to trust people. I'm sure with someone as cute as you that you can break through her barrier. You are roommates so you plenty of time. I can encourage her on the side as well."

"Thanks for the insight," Chaewon appreciated, slightly blushing at the compliment. "And it's okay if we're not friends or anything. It's just... I feel like we've met before. I don't know why."

"Hmm, that could be the case," Jungeun hummed, subtly flashing a smirk. "I'll be rooting for you."

"I'm back," Hyejoo introduced, sitting down beside Chaewon with a drink in her hand. "What did I miss?"

"Oh, nothing really," Jungeun told her. "I just hope that everyone here can grow closer. I think we can all be great friends!"

"Uh-huh..." Hyejoo nodded while side-eyeing her blue-haired roommate, continuing to eat her food. 

While Jungeun and Chaewon's friends kept speaking, Chaewon and Hyejoo mostly stayed quiet the rest of the dinner. Every now and then, they would meet eyes as they both would glance at each other. They would try to say something to each other but ended up staying silent out of shyness. It seemed like they both had the same thought in mind - they had seen each other somewhere before but did not know where. 

***

For the next three days until Friday, it seemed like Hyejoo would try to avoid her at all costs. When Chaewon would step out of the room or enter back into their dormroom, the younger would quickly enter her room. She even asked Hyejoo if she wanted to go get food twice but was shot down twice. The first time was with lunch on Wednesday, which she turned down due to "being busy". The second time was breakfast on Thursday, which she declined seeing that she would be away all night and would be tired in the morning.

Of course, Chaewon tried not to take these situations too seriously but something told her that Hyejoo was doing this on purpose. However, she tried to stay positive despite it becoming harder. Chaewon knew she had seen her roommate somewhere and she needed to know why.

"Wow, you're really going hard for your crush," Evelyn said teasingly while her master was venting out her worries. "I've never seen you try this much."

"She's not my crush," Chaewon denied. "She's just... someone I want to know more about. That's all."

"Call it whatever you want but that's how your mother was with her girlfriend, which was annoying as hell," Evelyn remembered, cringing at the past memories. "But, since you met that chic in that faery realm, why don't you look for her there?"

"I thought it was only a coincidence," Chaewon commented unconfidently. "I've never seen her there before a few days ago. And, even if I did, what makes you think she'll be there right now?"

"Because I overheard her," Evelyn told her smugly. "While you were gone, I heard her on the phone saying how she was going to this realm to snap a few photos."

"Really?? Why didn't you tell me this sooner??"

"Because you never told me that you cared this much. But, based on the last ten minutes, I guess you do."

"Then I better hurry!" Chaewon exclaimed, hurrying to put on her shoes. 

"Look at you rushing to see your girl," Evelyn snickered.

"She is not my girl," Chaewon disagreed. "I just want to know why is she is so familiar, that's all."

"If you say so..."

Chaewon got her basket and used a spell to teleport her to the private faery realm. When she arrived, the faery witch went with the same path she did last time, assuming that Hyejoo would be in the same place.

Turned out her assumptions were correct.

"Go get it!" Hyejoo instructed from a distance, throwing the ball in her hand. The wolf by her side sprinted towards the ball, catching it with its mouth, and returning it to its owner. 

"Good girl!" Hyejoo praised eagerly, petting her familiar while letting out a few giggles. 

With the combination of the animal's playful enthusiasm and her roommate's laughs, this whole scene was wholesome. Chaewon watched for a few minutes, a smile remaining on her face throughout. Some witches often ignored their familiar and treated them like wild animals - only using them for their own gain. But it was clear that these two were very close, which added to the cuteness.

"Are you going to keep standing there?"

Chaewon was startled out of her trance when she heard her roommate's voice, followed by a sigh. Eventually, Hyejoo did face her with her arms folded and a singular eyebrow raised.

"Well?"

"Wait, it's not what it looks like," Chaewon tried to defend herself. "I wasn't trying to stalk you or anything!"

"Are you sure? Because you're constantly trying to meet with me," Hyejoo asked, tone filled with suspicion. "What are you trying to do?"

"Look, I'm not trying to stalk you, not intentionally," Chaewon stated. "It's just that you...you just seem familiar. I just wanted to talk a bit more and find out why but you always ignored me. I wanted to speak here but then I saw you and your familiar, so it was hard for me to interrupt."

"I...see..." Hyejoo began to analyze Chaewon, her eyes scanning the faery witch's body. She paused when looking at the face, her eyebrows rising and falling with contemplation. 

"Fine."

"What?"

"Fine, as in, I believe you," Hyejoo sighed. "Considering that you claim that your family owns this realm and I also have access, I suspect it means that our families had some sort of connection. Plus, you don't seem very intimidating so I'll give this a pass, for now."

"Uh, thanks," Chaewon smiled. 

"Sure," Hyejoo breathed out. "But, I do have to tell you that I'm not the type to make friends, even with other witches. It's not because I don't like you - you probably are nice - but I'm just not interested."

"That's okay," Chaewon accepted but was disappointed internally. However, it seemed better than being completely resented or ignored. "I just have a few questions."

"Go ahead, then."

"Well, first off, I wanted to ask you before but how did you find out about this realm?"

"My sister showed me," Hyejoo replied. "My family had a lot of connections with other realms so we had a bit of knowledge. Let's just say that my sister and I had to rely on these places for quite a while. I would go here rarely when I spend time with Skylar so I assume that's why we have never seen each other."

"Skylar?" Chaewon looks down at the wolf. "You mean, your familiar?"

"Yeah," Hyejoo nodded, kneeling to stroke the top of the wolf's head. "I sometimes come here to take her on walks and allow her to play, since I'm pretty sure being with a wolf in public would cause a ruckus. Plus, I think the calm atmosphere helps to ease us both after a hard day."

"That's true. It's why I like it here as well," Chaewon agreed. "Skylar seems really adorable."

"She is. She's probably the closest friend I have."

"Can she talk?"

"Not really," Hyejoo shook her head. "I've heard her say a few words like 'come' or 'food' or even my name. So, I'm not sure if she just can barely talk or doesn't want to."

"Sounds like mine," Chaewon chuckled. "She doesn't say a word, usually."

"My sister is the opposite, she loves to talk," Hyejoo groaned. "Her familiar is betta fish, which you think would be quiet, but would constantly lecture me like a parent. Jungeun's is the same much more subtle, being a quiet owl and all."

"That's exactly how my mother's familiar is too!" Chaewon gasped. "She's a black cat and would tease me every chance she can get! I kinda regret bringing her here sometimes..."

"Wait, your mother allowed you to take her familiar to university?"

"Well, actually, her familiar has always been with me because she's not around," Chaewon explained. "She's obviously alive because her familiar is but I haven't seen her since I was nine. But I know she's out there so I'll probably meet her soon!"

"Ah...I see..." 

Hyejoo momentarily paused from petting her familiar and frowned slightly, like she was reminded of something. She quickly shook off the somber expression and looked back at Chaewon.

"Well, I hope you see her soon," Hyejoo stated, almost emotionally. "I should probably leave now. I have places to be."

"Wait, but, I didn't finish my questions..."

Hyejoo, who normally had a neutral expression, looked regretful for a moment as she thought of a solution. 

"Look, how about we meet here tomorrow, okay?" Hyejoo suggested. "I'm free all day so we can meet here at midday. We can talk for a while then."

Chaewon lit up, her eyes sparkling. "It's a date!"

'𝘞𝘢𝘪𝘵. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺?'

Hyejoo looked at her with a surprised gaze before it shifted to confusion.

"Uh, wait, I didn't mean-"

"Call it whatever you want," Hyejoo simply said, standing back up. "See you tomorrow. You better prepare all of your questions because I'm not doing this again."

Hyejoo walked away after this, with Skylar following not long after. 

Even though she felt awkward after the slip-up, Chaewon was more than eager about tomorrow, even if she could not place why.

***

The next day, Chaewon and Hyejoo did meet in the realm. This time, the dragonic witch came without her familiar. Instead, Chaewon saw her with a camera in her hands, taking a few pictures before she arrived.

"You seem passionate about photography," Chaewon noted as she walked up to her. "I saw you with a camera when we met here for the first time."

"I am because it's like a release for me," Hyejoo confirmed. "I've been to a lot of realms and they all looked breathtaking."

"What's the best-looking realm you've been in?"

"Hmm, either this one or the dragon realms," Hyejoo responded. "I like sceneries with a mythical feel to them. Taking pictures of faeries or dragons is a wonderful experience."

"I sometimes draw faeries when I get the chance," Chaewon claimed, taking out a drawing tablet from her bag. "Which that day so happens to be today!"

Hyejoo was about to say something when she saw Chaewon lay out a blanket, sitting down while holding her drawing tablet and stylus. She patted her hand on the space next to her.

"Come sit," Chaewon encouraged warmly. "I also brought a few snacks and water in my bag as well!"

Hyejoo nodded hesitantly and sat next to Chaewon, placing the camera by her side. The faery witch turned on the tablet and started with a recent canvas that had a sketch on it. Before starting, she looked up at the dragonic witch, who was completely silent.

"Um, I hope this isn't awkward," Chaewon looked downward sheepishly. 

"No, it's not," Hyejoo denied. "Just...surprising."

"Yeah, maybe I did a bit too much for a few questions," Chaewon admitted. "But I just didn't want you to be uncomfortable."

"It's fine, thanks," Hyejoo appreciated. "But let's try to not waste time."

"Understood," Chaewon comprehended. "Then I wanted to ask - do you know anything about the council?"

"Why do you ask?"

"It's a lot to explain but it has to do with mother," Chaewon elaborated. "I have a mission that she gave me and, since I spent most of my time with the faeries, I don't know as much as most witches do. It has to do with them, though."

"Then let me be the first to tell you that you should be careful," Hyejoo warned. "The council will do anything to maintain the secrecy and sovereignty of their position. The coven I'm in works with them since we help to handle witch hunters. Some of them are slightly more lenient but others are more strict. I don't recommend doing this so-called mission."

"I understand but I have to," Chaewon argued. "The reason why my birth mother left was because she needed to investigate the council's secrets. She did warn me but I promise to do anything to help her. I don't have anything against the council, trust me."

"Even if you didn't like them, I wouldn't blame you. They really can be a pain in the ass sometimes. I can't stop you and I won't say anything to them but just watch your back, that's all."

Chaewon nodded as she stored Hyejoo's message in the back of her head. The council did sound frightening and the wrong action could get her killed. However, she would do anything to aid in mother, even if it was dangerous. 

"So you go after hunters?" 

"Yeah, I do," Hyejoo confirmed. "Most of the time, it's just the four of us but sometimes others join us. We mostly focus on our area and Korea, however, we sometimes travel to other countries if there's no one else available."

"That kinda sounds both interesting and frightening," Chaewon remarked nervously. "I mean, it's wonderful that there are people like you to help our kind but you're often putting yourself in danger."

"We are but it's worth it. Seeing witches getting tortured or even killed while the perpetrators have no consequence disgusts me. We do have to watch our backs but we can take care of ourselves. Besides, I have my sister and two best friends that work with me so I'm usually never afraid."

"Sounds like you are a part of a great coven!"

"Truly," Hyejoo smiled briefly. 

"Hmm, I think this looks good so far!"

Hyejoo looked downward to see how the sketch has developed over the last few minutes. There were plenty more details that allowed the dragonic witch to identify what she was drawing - based on the outline of a woman with large wings.

"I've been working on this faery drawing for a few days now and I think it's starting to come together," Chaewon commented, looking over the sketch. "Just like how you like taking photos of mythical places and creatures, I like to draw them. Sometimes, you get to notice small details that you never see from far away. It helps you learn more about the world, you know?"

"Yeah, I feel the same," Hyejoo hummed. "It looks incredible so far. You're pretty talented."

"Thanks!" Chaewon beamed, smile broadening.

They ended up spending hours just talking or admiring each other's work and scenery, much longer than they were planning. Hyejoo, who was still hesitant about this whole meet-up, finally opened up a bit and spoke to her more freely. Turned out, it was better than Chaewon had ever expected.

***

"And that's the last of them," Jungeun declared as the final witch was taken out of their chains and was escorted out of the house. "We're all good, right?"

"The house is completely empty so it looks like we're done here," Heejin confirmed, walking down from upstairs. 

Last-minute, the council had asked them to investigate a house that was rumored to have abducted witches. Luckily, the criminals were "taken care of" and the victims were set free, some being taken to a witch-run hospital - all within a few hours.

"That was easier than the last case," Hyejoo commented. "These people weren't even trying to hide their crimes. Probably first-timers."

"When most people who do these crimes don't get punishment by their own leadership, that can happen," Jungeun noticed. "They treat us like a trophy and show us off to their friends. They have no shame, oftentimes."

"The little bastards," Heejin seethed. "We should have allowed them to suffer longer."

"It's not about the revenge, it's about getting the job done," Jinsoul stated firmly while walking back into the house. "Let's report to the council and get back to the dorms."

"Speaking of the dorms, Hyejoo is spending much more time in there than I thought," Jungeun teased smugly. "So, tell me, any updates on Chaewon?"

"I mean, we met up earlier today in her family's faery realm so I guess that's an update," Hyejoo shrugged. "We had lunch and talked a bit."

"Already on a date? Wow, you're not even hiding your interest!"

"Call it what you want but it's not what you think," Hyejoo defended herself, crossing her arms. "Chaewon wanted to ask a few questions about witch stuff because she's a little uninformed. That's all."

"Wait, her family's realm?" Jinsoul spoke up. "How did you get access to that?"

"You tell me since I learned it from you," Hyejoo claimed. "It's the faery one we went to a few years back. The one I take Skylar to sometimes."

"Interesting..." Jinsoul pondered for a moment. "Well, our mothers were always social. I bet Chaewon was one of their friend's daughters. At least that means you shouldn't be in danger."

"See? Maybe Chaewon would be the perfect girl for you!" Jungeun cheered. 

"...Or it's just a coincidence," Hyejoo deadpanned.

"A motto I always go by is that nothing is ever a coincidence," Jungeun winked. "Come on, you're almost eighteen. At least try to have an interest in dating."

"If my sister doesn't want a girlfriend, that's up to her," Jinsoul told her. "I'd rather her not get involved with such matters at a time like this."

"Ooh, someone's protective," Jungeun giggled playfully. "Kinda hypocritical when you're dating me though."

"That is different. I met you before we got so busy and didn't have hunters to handle," Jinsoul argued, unfazed. "Hyejoo shouldn't have to worry about all that."

"Can we just leave now? This conversation is getting boring," Heejin rolled her eyes. "This romance bullshit is getting on my damn nerves."

"Says the person with a secret lover," Jungeun smirked. "Which I will find out, by the way!"

Heejin glared at Jungeun for a few seconds and muttered a phrase under her breath before teleporting away from the house, leaving the three of them.

"This girl is something else," Jungeun shook her head in amusement. "Always so secretive..."

"She probably just doesn't want you bothering her for it," Hyejoo remarked reasonably. "If Heejin wants to keep her love life private, then let her."

"I guess you're right," Jungeun sighed in defeat. "But it would be fun to find out."

"We have more important things to deal with so let's not get distracted," Jinsoul advised. "Classes are starting the day after tomorrow and we still have the mission from the council. We shouldn't get sidetracked with trivial ordeals."

"Understood," Hyejoo nodded, not having any issue with the instructions. 

There was no way she would be bothered with anything or anyone else throughout the rest of the year.

***

"How is it like being in a coven?" Chaewon asked as the two witches were casually strolling down the forest's pathway. 

"It's nice, especially when you're close with everyone there," Hyejoo replied sincerely. "My sister started it a few years ago, right after finishing high school. The first person to join was her girlfriend, Jungeun, when she graduated high school. Then it was me and my other friend, Heejin."

"Heejin? Is it Jeon Heejin?"

"Yeah? Do you know her?"

"That's my friend's roommate, Hyunjin," Chaewon explained. "I heard they were getting along quite well. Hyunjin speaks highly of her."

"Really? I've only seen them arguing," Hyejoo claimed. "They've known each other for a while so I guess they're sort of frenemies? Heejin always complains about her."

"Huh...Strange..."

Chaewon knew that Hyunjin would not lie about her opinions on anyone, since she always blunt about everyone and everything. Maybe Chaewon would ask her later but it probably was nothing serious.

"You know, you seem to mention your sister a lot," Chaewon noticed. "You guys must be close!"

"We are since she was like a mother to me for most of my life. I would be dead without her."

"It's nice to be able to rely on your family members," Chaewon opinionated. "Most witch siblings separate after they reach coven age."

"Usually but we've been through too much together to separate so soon..."

"I wish I had someone to rely on like that," Chaewon smiled sweetly. "I haven't seen my family in a while. It's like after I was adopted, they forgot I existed."

Chaewon's relationship with the rest of her family was certainly complicated. For some reason, they never acknowledged that she was in the family. Her mother wanted Chaewon to not get involved with them either, creating a rift between the two of them and the rest of the family.

"I'm so sorry," Hyejoo told her somberly.

"It's fine. I've pretty much accepted it at the point..."

"Is that why you're dedicated to your mother's plan?" Hyejoo asked. "You're inexperienced with the council or anything about the mythical side of the world besides faeries, yet you are still willing to even risk your life."

"That's exactly why," Chaewon nodded in confirmation. "My mother has always been an inspiration for me when I was younger. She's the only one I could rely on and when she left, I was not as strong as I use to be. But since this is the best opportunity to see her again, I'm not wasting it. I know it's dangerous but it doesn't matter if I can get my mother back."

"I see..." Hyejoo glanced downward and let out a sigh. "Chaewon- " 

"Hyejoo, look at this!" 

Chaewon pointed to a rock next to a stream nearby, moving closer to admire what she was seeing. Two tiny faeries were sitting comfortably while taking bites of the berries that were half their size. They looked ethereal with their blonde hair and silky blue dresses, along with translucent wings that produced little sparkles that distilled onto the grass. 

"Aren't they beautiful?" Chaewon asked with a blissful smile. The small creatures noticed her gaze and waved at her, which caused her smile to widen as she waved back. 

"They are," Hyejoo nodded. "I've only seen them once before."

"They are mostly shy, which makes seeing them such a rewarding experience," Chaewon commented. "I think it's important to treasure these experiences. I know I've seen faeries plenty of times before but every moment I see them again becomes even more enriching. That's how I try to see the world around me - that every moment should be treasured. Even if you don't understand it at first, every moment had a purpose. The people you meet can be the best part of your life if you treat them like it - just like you with your sister or me with my birth mother. Some people are just special in a way that can change your life forever and that's what makes life worthwhile."

Hyejoo listened to every word Chaewon said, taking it in gradually but earnestly. Based on these past two meetings, she has gotten the sense that the faery witch had sensible views on the world around her, differing from her own. Hyejoo never looked into how each memory and person she has encountered had affected her life - some for better and for worse. Maybe she could take the time to reflect on that than letting each experience pass her by.

"Do you want to keep doing this?"

"Doing what?" Chaewon questioned, facing her. 

"Meeting here," Hyejoo clarified. "I usually have a pretty dreary life and this place seems to be the only time I can relax. Since we both like this place, maybe we can meet here once a week? I'm not keen on being too close to people but I can tell that you're genuinely kind-hearted. Maybe I could even help you with that mission of yours due to my experience."

"You're serious," Chaewon beamed. "I thought you were annoyed by me."

"No, since you're different from the other people I've met," Hyejoo claimed. "You're just... relaxing, for lack of a better term. But you can say no if you're not interested..."

"No! I would love to!" Chaewon giggled happily. "I just didn't expect someone like you to want to see me."

"I thought so too but I guess things change," Hyejoo smiled softly. "So, every Saturday?"

"Deal!" 

Chaewon and Hyejoo shook hands after this, sealing the deal. When the dragonic witch watched as the faery witch's smile grew and eyes squinted, that made her realize that maybe this decision was the right one.

***

"Weekly dates? Wow, you're moving fast!" Jungeun gasped while looking up from her journal, eyebrows lifting in astonishment. "Before you know it, you'll be girlfriends!"

"That's not going to happen," Hyejoo said as she placed candles in a circle on the floor. "I just think we get along well. It's a break from all the craziness we go through."

"Everyone indeed needs some time to relax," Jinsoul agreed, setting sweetgrass and heather flowers in the center of the room. "We'll make sure not to bother you but if a crisis arises, we'll have to interrupt."

"That's fine, I just thought this would be nice to try."

"Andromeda for Jinsoul, Columba for Jungeun, Cassiopeia for me, Lupus for Hyejoo," Heejin named aloud as she drew each of the constellations at four parts of the room.

Every witch had a constellation that they were connected to. They were given after graduating from witch boarding school, so about the age of thirteen. The constellation you have can collect and reveal your history, as well as heighten your ability if you keep in contact with it. Only cosmic witches like Heejin could create the spell to connect to these constellations, along with being able to read the stars' history.

"Alright, the setup is complete," Jinsoul stated, the floor being decorated with all the necessary preparations - flowers, candles, incense, and a few crystals. "Tomorrow behind classes so we should pray for the best outcome."

Usually, witches would do praying ritual before worrying events. It was a way to ask the deities for good luck during those times and to ensure a greater chance of success. By the end, each of them would be given a card that would reflect how the event will affect the person, whether during or after said event. It gave the assurance that they would be protected by the deities throughout the whole experience.

In this case, the event just so happened to be university. Heejin and Hyejoo were freshman, Jungeun was a sophomore, and Jinsoul was a senior this year. While most of them were confident in that alone, the combination of their work for the council made it much more challenging.

"I'm glad we have your mentor's home to do these rituals," Jungeun said while getting up from Jinsoul's bed. "I don't think lighting candles in the dorms is allowed, right?"

"Nope, which makes this pretty convenient," Hyejoo agreed. "She said we can come whenever we want, no need to ask unless we do advanced spells or rituals."

Jinsoul and Hyejoo lived in the mentor's home ever since they started high school. The mentor was a dianic witch named Audette that was hundreds of years old, living here as a way to study spells in her free time. She brought them in since the sisters had nowhere else to live, being their loving abode from that moment forward. 

"Let's get this started," Heejin announced as she sat legs crossed on the floor, right in front of her drawn constellation that was floating in midair behind her. Everyone else did the same, sitting within the circle of offerings.

"I bet that this year of university is going to be even better than last year!" Jungeun claimed confidently. "New friends, some parties, new clubs, and activities..."

"You're certainly optimistic," Heejin grumbled. "I just want to get this over with. But, I guess a few parties would be cool."

"Yes and maybe you could go with your secret lover," Jungeun lifted her eyebrows repeatedly, leading to the cosmic witch doing an eye-roll.

"Haha, no," Heejin glared. "Besides, she doesn't even like parties anyway so you'll never see her."

"Hmm, doesn't like parties... I got to remember that!" Jungeun exclaimed. "One more hint to figuring out the mystery!"

"Ahem, can we just start now?" Heejin turned to Jinsoul. 

"Gladly, also, can you all not go out to parties and activities so much?" Jinsoul asked almost pleadingly. "You can't trust most of the students there so you shouldn't get involved. Just a few, that's it."

"Fine," Jungeun pouted. "You all are no fun..."

"Let's just begin," Hyejoo urged before the subject switched again.

All of them closed their eyes and pressed their hands together. The room was silent for ten seconds before they all began to whisper a few phrases in an ancient tongue. The four of them could feel a powerful presence in the room, giving them the sign that the deities were listening and they could begin their prayers.

Hyejoo was not completely sure what she wanted for her first year of university. All she wanted was for the safety of herself and her closest friends and sister. She always hoped that life for witches would get easier and that laws would be in place to protect them, although that would not happen overnight. She also hoped that she could learn more about her family she never got to know. There were a few things that Hyejoo wanted but she knew it would not be easy.

When the presence dissipated, the ritual came to an end. By the time they opened their eyes, a card was placed facing down in front of them. Hyejoo hoped that this card would be a sign or a clue to what she prayed for, considering the complexity of what was to come.

"I got the 'Judgement' card," Jinsoul noticed, thinking for a while. "Reflection and awakening..."

"That means you will realize something crucial about yourself," Jungeun told her. "Hmm, wonder what that is! Must be important!"

"Most likely..."

"I got 'Queen of Cups'!" Jungeun read out her card. "I guess I'm supposed to comfort at least one of you soon. That's not really new for me but I'll happily do so!"

" 'Knight of Swords'..." Heejin read slowly, clearly taking in its meaning. 

"Huh, I guess you're supposed to be defending your beliefs without worry," Jungeun noted. "I wonder what that's going to be."

"Yeah... I wonder..." Heejin frowned for a second before masking it with her usual neutral expression. "Anyway, Hyejoo, what do you have?"

"I have..." Hyejoo picked up the card to see the result. When she figured it out, the dragonic witch stared at the card with widened eyes, completely in disbelief. "This doesn't make sense..."

"What's wrong?" Jinsoul questioned, growing worried. "It's not bad, is it?"

"No, not necessarily..." Hyejoo showed the card to the other three, leading to them having the same reaction.

" 'The Lovers'?" Jungeun read aloud. "That means... you're going to get a girlfriend!"

"Wait, it doesn't have to be a girlfriend!" Hyejoo disagreed before everyone overreacted. "This card could also mean friend or mutual partnership."

"But it usually means a lover," Jungeun recalled, instantly getting excited. "This is incredible!"

"I wouldn't get too excited. I'm not looking for love right now."

"Well, this card seems to say otherwise," Heejin snorted. "Finally, you won't be a loner without us."

"Hey!" Hyejoo shouted, feeling offended. 

"Either way, I'm eager to see how these cards play into our near future," Jinsoul remarked. "Looks like it's going to be pretty eventful!"

"Yeah... Eventful..."

Hyejoo did not know what to believe about the card. Yes, the card was supposed to mean the start of any kind of relationship, not only romantic. But Jungeun was right that it usually meant lovers. Hyejoo stated for the longest time that she was not interested in anyone but what if the deities had other plans for her?

Hyejoo could already tell the new few months is going to be confusing and intriguing, and she could not tell if that was a good or bad thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! This chapter mostly served in getting to know Chaewon and Hyejoo, and them getting along with each other. There's not much to say about this chapter but I hope you all likee it nonetheless! 
> 
> Anyway, tell me your thoughts on the first chapter! I can't wait to read your predictions, hopes, and thoughts on this chapter and the rest of the fic!
> 
> > Updates every five days  
> > Insta: @hyesappho 
> 
> See you next time!


	3. 𝑰𝑰𝑰 - 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝑩𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒔

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 - 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙭 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚𝙨

The first week of classes went much smoother than Chaewon had expected. She had only seven classes this semester with usually two classes a day besides the three on Mondays and Wednesdays. The professors seemed to be kind and understanding so she could not see having any trouble with them.

Chaewon and Hyejoo did not speak that much during the five days, probably because they wanted to get situated in their own classes. They did not share any classes so it made sense that the differing schedules would prevent them from seeing one another. However, it did not matter since they were still able to see each other that Saturday as they promised.

"How did your first week go?" Chaewon asked as they were sitting on their picnic blanket, drawing a sketch into her sketchbook. 

"As best as it could be, I guess," Hyejoo sighed, eating the grapes that the faery witch had brought. "The classes are straightforward enough but I'd rather just travel the realms and work on my photography. Or handle more witch hunters."

"True, but I'm sure we can get through this!" Chaewon stated hopefully. "Speaking of which, you seem really passionate about photography. Maybe I could see your work sometime!"

"Maybe but I'm not amazing or anything," Hyejoo claimed. "I just like to take scenic photos and do a few small films here and there. It's usually just a small hobby."

"It can't be just a hobby if you're dedicating your future career to it! I bet you're much better than you think!"

"If you think so..." Hyejoo partially accepted. "Anyway, about the mission, what do you have to do?"

"There are several steps but they all seem pretty challenging. The first one involves me finding this woman who's supposed to help me, which is difficult since I have no clue where she is."

"Well, I don't know every witch out there but I've worked with many of them. What's her name?"

"Son Jinsoul, if I remember correctly."

"Jinsoul?" Hyejoo leaned back in astonishment. 

"What? Do you know her?" Chaewon assumed, noticing her widened eyes. 

"Uh, yes, actually."

"Great! Then can I meet her then??" Chaewon smiled brightly, amazed by the news.

"Well, it's gonna be hard because Jinsoul is...my older sister..." 

"Really? Well, that's a huge coincidence," Chaewon remarked. "But why is it going to be hard? She's your sister so couldn't you just go up and tell her?"

"You'd think it would be that simple but my sister is usually skeptical on taking...foreign requests," Hyejoo elaborated. "Additionally, if you're standing against the council then Jinsoul will most likely condemn it since she praises the council immensely. Do you know what a teacher's pet is? Yeah, she's like that but the council's pet instead."

"I see... Maybe I can talk to her and make her understand?" Chaewon suggested. "The letter from my mother said to tell her who she is and Jinsoul should recognize what to do. At least, I should try."

"If you're determined, I can get her to speak to you," Hyejoo sighed. "But, keep in mind that she is not so easily convinced. She might also require you to join our coven if she miraculously does agree."

"I'm willing to do that if it means I can help my mother," Chaewon agreed without a second thought. 

"You're certainly...persistent."

"Well, I can't give up just because something is troublesome," Chaewon argued. "If it's for someone you love, then why give up so soon?"

"You do have a point..."

Hyejoo was always the first person to defend her coven mates, even if it was laborious to do. Personally, she would not confront her sister with a task like that but if Chaewon was willing then she would be a hypocrite to stop her. Maybe Jinsoul would listen for once.

"I'll see what I can do," Hyejoo finally told her. "I'll let you know if she will meet with you."

"Thanks, I really appreciate it!"

"It's cool but just be ready," Hyejoo warned. "You should definitely come prepared."

After saying goodbye to Chaewon and leaving the realm, Hyejoo went straight to where Jinsoul was at. Since it was the weekend, her older sister would most likely be their mentor's home.

"Hey, Jinsoul? Can we talk?"

"Sure, what about, Hyejoo?" Jinsoul allowed, turning away from her desk. "Is it serious?"

"Sort of?..."

"Should I leave then?" Jungeun suggested, who was sitting on the bed right beside Jinsoul. "I don't want to intrude."

"No, it's okay if you stay here," Hyejoo permitted. "Besides, it's about my roommate..."

"Ah, you mean that blue-haired cutie, Chaewon?" Jungeun giggled. "What about her?"

"It's a confusing situation so it's better for her to explain but basically she needs you," Hyejoo replied, turning to her sister. 

"What does she need me for...?" Jinsoul questioned with perplexity. "As far as I know, I don't know who she is. How does she know me?"

"Something about a letter from her mother but, as I said, she should explain not me."

"Look, I'm not doing anything for any witch I don't know, especially when we are busy enough," Jinsoul stated firmly. "Tell her that I'm not interested."

"Please just give her a chance," Hyejoo pleaded. "Chaewon is a good person and she really is passionate about this mission since it's for her mother. I don't know her completely yet but I believe that the plan is pretty legit. I know you are busy and have your boundaries but you should at least hear her out."

"If Hyejoo thinks we should, then I think that we should hear out Chaewon," Jungeun agreed. "Doesn't hurt to listen!"

"I suppose so..." Jinsoul grumbled. "Fine, we will meet tomorrow. Bring her here this evening and we will talk about this mission. This better not be a waste of my time."

"Okay, I will," Hyejoo smiled briefly. "Thank you."

Jinsoul nodded as Hyejoo left the room. Jungeun waited a few seconds before turning to the older witch.

"Baby, what's going on with you lately?" Jungeun asked worriedly. "You're never this cold with your sister. I know you have a lot on your plate but you could've been a bit more positive."

"I know, I'm just stressed lately," Jinsoul sighed as she stood up, sitting next to her girlfriend on the bed. "There's so much on my mind that I just wish that I could stop time and rest. It's my last year of university, the council gave us an important task, and then I have some private matters... I don't know how I'm supposed to balance all of it and I don't have any time to-"

"Shh, relax," Jungeun lifted the teapot on the desk and pour the drink into a teacup. "Hibiscus, lemon, raspberries, and rose petals - the perfect recipe for relieving stress."

"Thank you," Jinsoul appreciated as she took the cup from Jungeun's hands, taking a few sips. "This does taste soothing."

"Mhm," Jungeun smiled softly, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend's waist as she rests her head on her shoulder. "I know you have plenty to focus on but you can't ignore your sister or any of us because of that. We're worried about you..."

"I know and I'll try to work on that," Jinsoul nodded. "But I have a job to do. Someone has to continue my parents' legacy."

"I'm sure that your parents would not mind if you took a break."

"Unfortunately, I won't know that, will I?"

"Right," Jungeun sighed. "Just don't overwork yourself. You've worked so hard all your life for both yourself and your sister, so a little break would hurt."

"We'll see."

"I'm serious," Jungeun said with a pout, kissing her cheek. "I don't want my baby to be stressed."

"Okay, I'll try my best," Jinsoul surrendered, taking another sip of the tea. "I'll listen to that Chaewon girl and assess the situation before outright refusal. Just this once."

Jungeun beamed victoriously. "That's all we could ever ask for."

***

"Just remember to be respectful and considerate, unless you want to be cursed," Hyejoo advised as she and Chaewon teleported in front of her mentor's home. "She's a lunar witch so she's pretty good at that."

"From the way you've talked about her, she sounds pretty scary," Chaewon remarked, feeling more unsure as the dragonic witch kept speaking. 

Lunar witches were probably the scariest of all witch type simply because they work with dark magic. They usually have cold personalities but were passionate and dedicated to their craft. Even though they seem like they despise everyone, they can be likeable once you get close to them. All Chaewon hoped was that Jinsoul was the same way.

"She can be but she's also pretty nice most of the time," Hyejoo told her. "You just have to remain on her good side."

"I'll certainly try..."

"So you're the girl that's making me come here."

Chaewon and Hyejoo whirled around to see an annoyed-looking woman with brown hair with blonde highlights. She examined the faery witch intensely - analyzing every minute detail until she glared into her eyes, releasing a sigh.

"Faery witch, level two, and related to the constellation of Lyra...," the woman listed off. "I suppose that means you're not a threat."

"H-How did you know all of that?" Chaewon asked out of shock. 

"I'm not telling my secrets to strangers, even if you are a witch."

"Heejin, can you not scare her? She's not going to hurt you," Hyejoo rolled her eyes. 

"Heejin?..." Chaewon repeated to herself. "Wait, so you're Hyunjin's roommate!"

"Huh?" Heejin took a step backward as she stared at her incredulously. "How did you know that?"

"Uh, I'm Hyunjin's friend, Chaewon," Chaewon informed her. "She told me about you quite a bit!"

"So that's where I heard your name from..." Heejin whispered before regaining her composure. "Just hurry up so we don't keep Jinsoul waiting. I have places to be."

"You always have places to be..." Hyejoo mumbled but still took the key out to unlock the door and let all of them inside.

"This place looks nice," Chaewon complimented, gazing all over the space.

The house looked impossibly neat with medieval and artistic designs, certainly looking to belong be owned by witches. It was also quite large, meaning that the owner must be quite rich.

"That's all thanks to our mentor, who you'll probably meet soon if she comes home before you leave," Hyejoo stated as she led them down the long hallway with many doors. 

They eventually made it to a certain room near the end and opened it to reveal some sort of meeting place. There was a large table in the center of the room where two people were already sitting - one of them being Jungeun and the other supposedly being Hyejoo's older sister. In comparison to the green witch's welcoming facial expression, the lunar witch looked frigid and distant. 

"Nice to see you again, my blue-haired cutie," Jungeun waved eagerly before pulling out the chair beside her. "Here, have a seat."

"Thank you," Chaewon smiled as she sat down, with Heejin and Hyejoo sat on the other side of the table next to Jinsoul. 

"So, I'm going to make this clear," Jinsoul started with a stern tone. "I am not normally fond of aiding anyone except the council, my coven mates, or anyone in dire circumstances. Don't take it personally but I don't want to waste my time helping those I barely know. However, Hyejoo seems adamant that your request is valuable so I will at least listen. So please, state your business clearly and concisely."

"I understand," Chaewon cleared her throat. "Um, I really don't know how to start this but there is an issue that I have to seek your guidance for. You see, my mother, she has been gone for almost nine years to go on a secret mission with her coven. Only recently, I received a letter stating what I must do to help her. One of the steps involves getting you to aid me throughout the task."

"And what does this mission entail?"

"It has something to do with the witch council," Chaewon answered nervously, knowing what was to come. "My mother traveled in order to uncover secrets that the council is hiding. There are several steps to help and-"

"I'm not interested."

"What?"

"I'm not going to take part in this," Jinsoul stated as her face became hostile. "Clearly, your mother is wasting her time with such nugatory matters. I refuse to defy the council for this petty of a reason. You may leave."

"Hey, hold on a minute," Hyejoo butted in. "Couldn't you at least let her finish?"

"Why should I? It's already breaking the wiccan rules," Jinsoul claimed coldly. "Plotting against the council is strictly forbidden. She's lucky I won't report her mother to them."

"Please, just hear me out!" Chaewon pleaded while raising her voice. "I know you aren't a dab of this but I truly need your help."

"I will not help you. That's the end of it."

"Sweetie, please just listen for once," Jungeun urged, placing a hand on Chaewon's shoulder. "I know you respect the council and all that but there is no need to be so rude. I can tell Chaewon is being sincere here and doesn't deserve being rudely sent away."

"But-"

"No buts," Jungeun interrupted. "She is doing this for her mother. If I recall, there is someone else here who is driven by their parents' admirations, am I correct?"

Jinsoul tried to stutter out a response but ended up finding no retort. She instead sighed in defeat, listening to her girlfriend's plea.

"Fine, you may finish," Jinsoul finally gave in. "Tell me one good reason why I should bend the rules just for you."

"Well, uh, the letter says that you might know my mother," Chaewon remembered. "She goes by two names - Park Chunhei is her actual name but she also goes by Calliope."

"Calliope?..." Jinsoul's eyebrows lifted in recognition. "I do know of this person. My parents told me to remember that name. Do you have this letter?"

"Yes, I do," Chaewon nodded repeatedly, internally being gleeful at Jinsoul calming down.

She took the folded letter out of her pocket and gave it to her, along with the glasses that came with it. Jinsoul took a minute to read over the letter, with her eyebrows raising a few times in intrigue. She then glanced back at Chaewon before looking at the glasses, eyebrows furrowing. Finally, the lunar witch had her eyes fixed on the faery witch while thinking up her next few words.

"Calliope is a woman that my parents knew quite well," Jinsoul began. "They were in the same coven, actually. I was told to remember this name because it would be important in the future. My parents always said that if they ever died or went missing, that I should follow Calliope's instructions. It seems that this has been destined. And therefore, I regret my misjudgment."

Chaewon waited for Jinsoul to continue, anxious about what her decision was.

"Here's what I'm going to do," Jinsoul continued. "I am a lunar witch and therefore is all about contracts. I will help you but not unless you help us in return."

"And what could I help you with?"

"I'm sure Hyejoo has told you already but we search for witch hunters in the area and...deal with them accordingly," Jinsoul explained. "We have a situation that we'll be dealing with for a while. Seeing as this task must be spread out over months, we could deal with both at the same time. How knowledgeable are you with spells?"

"Um, not very but I do know a few," Chaewon replied with a frown. "Calliope, my mother, had been gone since I was nine years old so I've been living with faeries up until now. I had no parents or mentors to teach me much."

"That's understandable," Jinsoul set down the letter to give her full attention to Chaewon. "Here is my contract - we will not only teach you more about spells but will also help you with this mission. In return, you will join our coven and help us with our own ordeal."

"Wait, so you are actually going to go against the council for once?" Heejin chirped up with a smirk. "Never thought I would see that."

"I despise doing this but I trust my family far more than anyone else, even more than the council," Jinsoul sighed, holding out her hand for Chaewon. "So, do we have a deal?"

Chaewon contemplated whether or not she should take this offer. On one hand, she was getting what she needed in the first place, which was Jinsoul's help. On the other hand, the faery witch was not too comfortable with witch hunters, since that would probably involve killing others. While these hunters deserved this, Chaewon was not skilled enough for the job. However, if they were truly going to help her learn spells and essentially mentor her, then maybe she would stand a chance.

"Deal," Chaewon finally said as they shook hands.

Jinsoul drew a symbol in midair right above their hands, creating a contract seal.

"If you break this contract, you will receive harsh punishment," Jinsoul told her firmly. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do," Chaewon nodded while they let go of each other's hands. "Thank you for helping me. This means a lot to me."

"Sure..."

"Welcome to our coven, cutie!" Jungeun hugged Chaewon warmly. "You'll fit in perfectly, don't worry."

"I hope so," Chaewon chuckled awkwardly. "So, how do I properly join? Is there a ritual or anything?"

"There is," Jinsoul confirmed. "Tomorrow, Hyejoo will bring you here so the ritual can take place. It should be about half an hour so not too much time."

"Okay, that's fine since I'm not busy tomorrow," Chaewon recalled as the lunar witch handed her the letter and glasses back. "Again, thank you so much."

"You're welcome. Hyejoo will take you back to the dorms. Have a good evening."

"See you tomorrow!" Jungeun waved goodbye while Jinsoul and Heejin began to conversate quietly. 

"See you," Chaewon waved back as Hyejoo led her out of the room.

"That went better than I was expecting," Hyejoo exhaled in relief. "Then again, Jungeun seems to be the only one who can make her think more rationally."

"I can tell. I'm guessing that they're dating?"

"Yeah, four and a half years," Hyejoo responded. "Jungeun is the only one who can calm her down, even better than I can. I'm glad she was there."

"Yeah, I'll have to thank her later," Chaewon made a mental note. "But, I have to ask, I'm not trying to be nosy but Jinsoul mentioned something about your parents. The only reason she's listening to me because her parents told her to trust my mother when they were dead or missing. So then..."

"Right," Hyejoo sighed deeply as they exited the house, locking the door. "Our mothers died about eleven years ago when I was six and Jinsoul was ten."

"Oh, I'm so sorry..."

"Nah, it's okay. I was too young to truly grasp the situation," Hyejoo told her with a dismissive wave. "And they were gone a lot so I didn't have too much of a connection with them. Jinsoul, however, is a completely different story. She used to be so lively but over time she's just so reserved. But I don't blame her because we lost most of our family that day..."

"Most of your family?..." 

"Yeah, most," Hyejoo breathed out. "In retrospect, we should have seen it coming..."

𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘙𝘛 𝘖𝘍 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏𝘉𝘈𝘊𝘒

"Hyejoo, come look at this!" 

The younger sister hopped off of her bed, hugging her stuffed bunny up to her chest as she hurried over to her older sister. 

"Isn't this pretty?" Jinsoul asked, showing the jar filled with water and flowers. The jar started to sparkle under the moonlight coming from their window, making the six-year-old girl's eyes grow wide with wonderment.

"So pretty..." Hyejoo gasped, standing on her tippy toes to peek at the jar on the desk. 

"It's called Moon Water," Jinsoul explained. "It can purify anything related to magic, but it's mostly for crystals. Since it's the full moon, it can sparkle like this. If we go outside, it can shine even brighter!"

"Ooh, can we go outside? Please?" Hyejoo begged with pouty lips. "I want to see more sparkles!"

"If our mommies let us!" Jinsoul giggled, getting off her chair with the jar in hand. "Let's go ask."

As the two young sisters scurried down the steps, they paused for a minute when they heard their mothers talking.

"What do you mean my sister has gone missing?" their first mother exclaimed with a trembling voice. "We just saw her yesterday! I thought the conflict was beginning to die down..."

"We have to relocate soon," their second mother spoke up. "Many of your family members are going missing. It won't be long before they come for us or our children."

"We can't keep hiding forever. They'll keep hunting us down until we give them what they want."

"But we also can't give them the information they want either. The only way is to move. We can't let anything happen to us."

"But what if we-"

"Mama, mommy, is everything okay?" Jinsoul asked as they walked out from behind the corner. "What happened to auntie?"

"Oh! Nothing, sweetie!" their first mother quickly said, forcing a smile. "What are you doing downstairs this late? Shouldn't you both be sleeping?"

"We wanted to see the moon water sparkle!" Hyejoo eagerly explained. "Can we go outside?"

"Uh, not today, honey," their second mother told them. "Actually, Hyejoo, you should go to bed right now. Jinsoul, we need to talk to you for a minute."

"Aww," Hyejoo whined. "But we can't see the sparkly water anymore!"

"I know, honey, but it's not safe right now. How about you use the window in your room to see the sparkly water while we speak to your sister?"

"Okay..." Hyejoo took the jar from her older sister and went back upstairs.

The young child placed the jar on the window sill and watched as the moonlight made the water twinkle like stars. It was not as bright as it would have been if they were outside but it was the best she could do. 

After staring whimsically at the jar for five minutes, something strange caught her eye. There were several people standing in front of their house, with most of them having a livid look on their faces. Hyejoo watched as they banged on the front door repeatedly, causing her to jump at how loud and forceful it was. Even as young as she was, the six-year-old had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Hyejoo!" Jinsoul called out as she came into the room and shut the door. She paused for a second to find the right words to say. "Uh, let's play a game!"

"Ooh, what kind of game??"

"Um... Hide and seek!" Jinsoul quickly replied. "Let's go hide in a realm while our parents come looking for us! We might be there for a while so bring your stuffed animals and favorite toys!"

"Yay! Okay!"

Hyejoo quickly put her toys into her backpack, cheerfully following her sister's orders. When she finished, she noticed that Jinsoul was packing much more than she was - including her basic wiccan items and clothes - but she did not question it. Her sister was always too prepared for everything. It was just a game, right?

"Okay, let's go!" Jinsoul announced as she put the backpack on and held her little sister's hand. 

While the older girl was drawing the symbol and whispering words she could not understand, Hyejoo could hear extra voices coming from downstairs. The last thing she heard was the sound of glass shattering against the floor, startling her as Earth slowly became distant. 

𝘗𝘈𝘜𝘚𝘌 𝘐𝘕 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏𝘉𝘈𝘊𝘒

"We actually went to your faery realm for a few hours," Hyejoo explained. "Being so young, I just believed Jinsoul and didn't question why we were there for so long. In hindsight, even young me should have realized."

"You were a child so you can't blame yourself for not catching on," Chaewon comforted while putting a hand on her shoulder. "But, what happened when you got back? Who were those people?"

"We eventually went back after I began to get sleepy and impatient. But, when we went into the house, neither of us were prepared for what we saw..."

𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏𝘉𝘈𝘊𝘒 𝘊𝘖𝘕𝘛𝘐𝘕𝘜𝘌𝘚

"What happened to our room?" Hyejoo asked as she saw how their belongings were scattered all over the room. "Did our mommies do this?"

"I... don't think so..."

The two sisters held hands as they stepped out of the room. Everywhere they looked, all of the furniture and home items were either broken or moved. Some books and spells were torn on the floor, as well as a few shattered crystals. Young Hyejoo was confused and growing afraid every second, wondering if the odd people she saw had something to do with this. Slowly, she began to realize that the damage was not the result of her mothers playing hide-and-seek.

"Mama? Mommy?" Jinsoul called out, tentatively stepping down the stairs while making her younger sister walk behind her. 

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Jinsoul immediately stopped and let out a sudden gasp. Right after, she put her hand over Hyejoo's eyes. 

"Sis? What are you doing?" Hyejoo asked, her sight being caught off. "Are we playing again?"

Jinsoul did not respond to this. Over the course of five minutes, all Hyejoo heard was the heavy breathing of her sister gradually turning into quiet sobbing. Even though she could not see a thing, even her young self could tell that the sight before her was too gruesome for her own eyes to gaze upon.

Jinsoul remained quiet, besides the sound of sniffles, trying to mask the grief she was feeling. Before Hyejoo could speak up again, she suddenly felt a gust of wind against her skin and the sound of owls hooting. Finally, the hand was pulled away from her eyes and she was greeted by the same forest as before. 

"Why are we back here?" Hyejoo asked, looking up at her sister with worried eyes. "Where's our mommies?"

"Um, th-they are going to be g-gone for a while," Jinsoul stuttered, quickly wiping the tears from her face. "We have to stay here."

"But when will we see them again? Where did they go? Do they hate us?"

"They don't hate us, Hyejoo," Jinsoul sighed. "They are just going to be gone for some time. Uh, we should find a place to live until then. Our house is not safe..."

"B-But I want to be with our mommies..."

Hyejoo began to burst into tears, repeating how much she wanted her parents. Through the blurriness of her watery eyes, she could see her sister pondering heavily of many things, which gave her the hint that her life was about to change.

Jinsoul wrapped her arms around her sister and allowed her to cry into her shirt. Minutes later when the wailing was calming down, both little girls sat down on the forest floor. Jinsoul rested her back against the tree while Hyejoo laid down on the grass - her head resting on her sister's lap. Both of them still distraught for the same reason but with different levels of understanding. Because of this, both were allowing the few tears to drizzle from their eyes while they attempted to fall asleep.

Jinsoul stroked the top of her younger sister's head as she tried to ease her into falling asleep. Hyejoo had many questions that were preventing her from relaxing but the comfort of her older sister was seemingly doing the trick. When Jinsoul began to hum a familiar lullaby along with the howling wind, she could feel her eyes becoming heavier as the sleep was taking over.

"I promise I won't let anything happen to you..."

𝘌𝘕𝘋 𝘖𝘍 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏𝘉𝘈𝘊𝘒

"Later, I learned that most of our immediate family were either kidnapped or killed," Hyejoo finished. "The hunters were targeting our family for years. Apparently, our family has something they wanted for a long time and our refusal to give it up is the reason for all this. So, for about three years, we would travel around and live in different places to avoid being discovered. Luckily, most hunters don't have access to realms so we were pretty lucky. It wasn't until we found the person who loves here that we felt safe for the first time since that incident."

Chaewon was speechless after hearing the whole story. It was true that witch hunters were pretty ruthless and were determined in diminishing all of witch kind. However, she had never heard of a case where a group of hunters was set on one witch family. These criminals usually went after any witch that they could find until they were caught, not track a single family. Chaewon wondered what was so important to these hunters that they had to torture Hyejoo's family for years.

"I'm sorry for ruining the mood with all this," Hyejoo apologized when realizing the faery witch's silence. "We should just move on."

"No, I'm glad you were comfortable sharing all this with me, truly," Chaewon smiled softly. "I'm sorry for all that you and Jinsoul have been through. I understand why you both are so closed-off all the time and I respect that."

"It's okay, none of it is your fault," Hyejoo shrugged. "That's why Jinsoul and I dedicate ourselves to handling these assholes and keep that from happening to anyone else. So, even though Jinsoul did not say it upfront, I know she is grateful that you agreed to help us."

"It's fine. It's a mutual agreement, right?" Chaewon reminded her as her smile broadened. "You help me and I'll help you all. I think it's pretty fair."

"Right..."

Hyejoo teleported them back to their dorm and they were about to part ways for the day. Before then, the dragonic witch paused for a second to say:

"I know I said that I'm not looking to be friends with anyone but..." Hyejoo started carefully. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me. I might not be the most approachable but I'll try to help out the best that I can."

"O-Oh, thank you," Chaewon stammered shyly as Hyejoo entered her room. 

Truly, this whole was unexpected. From the first step of her birth mother's plan being complete to the development of her bond with Hyejoo, Chaewon knew that these next few months are going to be interesting.

***

For the rest of the day, Chaewon went over to her friend Hyunjin's dorm to talk for a bit. Even though Jiwoo was her best friend and Yerim was the most eager to have conversations, Hyunjin was the best listener and their interactions were always calming. 

Chaewon had known Hyunjin since she first entered high school and they had been friends ever since. On top of that, Hyunjin was also non-human but not a witch either. She had a human mother but an incubus father, making her part-succubus. In her natural form, she had horns and wings but can mask them at any time. The best part about being half-human was that Hyunjin did not have as big of a desire for sexual intimacy as most succubi, so she could go weeks without it if she tried. However, her health depended on it so she would hook-up with people often.

"So, you're actually joining a coven," Hyunjin's eyes grew wide. "I'm surprised. I expected you to be against those sorts of things."

"I'm pretty introverted but I never hated the idea of joining one," Chaewon claimed after telling her friend the whole story up until now. "But if it's for my mother then I'm okay with it. Besides, Heejin's a part of it and you seem to like her."

"Uh, well, she's okay," Hyunjin looked around awkwardly. "But if it makes you feel comfortable. That Hyejoo girl seems nice though."

"She is," Chaewon agreed. "Just reserved like me. However, I think we're becoming friends so that's an improvement."

"Then good luck with that," Hyunjin encouraged. "And good luck on your coven ritual tomorrow. Sounds like it's going to be fun."

"Maybe but I have no idea what is part of the ritual. I just hope they aren't going to almost kill me or anything."

"Probably not since Heejin seems pretty eager to go," Hyunjin chuckled but then backtracked. "Not that I truly know her thoughts but it seems like it."

"Yeah, seems so..."

"Anyway, if you need help with that mission your mother gave you, I can do something," Hyunjin stated. "I'm not too familiar with witch-related topics but I might be able to provide some aid."

"Thanks so much! I probably will, to be honest," Chaewon admitted sheepishly. "I'm not the best with this sort of thing."

"Me neither but I guess two clueless people are better than one," Hyunjin joked with a laugh. "But I guess that's what Jinsoul is for. You probably won't need my help with her around."

"I mean, Jinsoul is helping but I don't think she's too thrilled about that..." Chaewon sighed. "If it wasn't for my mother's connection with them, I would be alone right now."

"That might be true but at least she agreed, especially if she's that much of a suck-up to your witch council," Hyunjin noted positively. "You'll be fine. Just don't get on anyone's bad side and it'll go smoothly."

The conversation was interrupted by the door to the dorm opening and closing. Since Hyunjin's door was still open, they could see Heejin walk in with a somber expression. Based on the red cheeks and puffy eyes, it looked as though she had been crying not long before arriving.

"Oh, sorry for interjecting," Heejin apologized before disappearing into her room. 

"What's wrong with her?" Chaewon asked out of concern. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah, unfortunately," Hyunjin sighed, sounding as if she knew what was going on but refused to be specific. "I'll be right back. Just wait for a few minutes, okay?"

"Actually, I was just going to leave anyway," Chaewon reassured. "I have two assignments to do tomorrow morning and then I have the ritual. I should probably get some rest."

"That's fine, I'll lock the door when I finish. I'll make it up to you later this week though!" 

"Don't worry about it! I'll see you soon," Chaewon grinned as she started to gather her things while Hyunjin quickly went over to Heejin's room. 

When Chaewon was walking out of the dorm, she could hear some noises coming from Heejin's room. At first, she only heard some casual talking along with the sound of someone crying. But when the conversation ended, Chaewon swore she could hear the occasional smacking of lips and faint moaning.

Chaewon told herself that she definitely hearing things wrong or out of context since these two were not even close enough for what she was thinking. However, every sound coming out of the room seems to point to one thing. 

Feeling awkward, Chaewon walked out of the dorm and closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath and tried to think of any explanation other than what she assumed. Hyunjin had dated two women in the past but had not been close to anyone for over two years. Even though all succubi were pansexual, Hyunjin was only romantically attracted to women while being sexually attracted to anyone. But, despite this, the succubus stated that she was not interested in anyone right now.

Maybe they were hooking up but that seemed out of place if Heejin was upset.

So then maybe...

Chaewon shook of the thought since she was in no room to comment about that. Although, she had a feeling that she knew exactly what was going on between them, which would explain all other strange observations.

***

By about three in the afternoon the following day, Chaewon was ready for the ritual needed to get into the coven. While she was still nervous, Hyejoo made sure to reassure her that there was nothing to be scared of.

"You don't need to worry about the ritual," Hyejoo claimed as they arrived back at the large house. "It's completely harmless. Just a simple ceremonial bath along with a few spell castings and you're done. You'll be finished within the hour."

"I believe you but it's still nerve-wracking," Chaewon commented anxiously. "Not about the ritual but just being a part of your coven. You all go after hunters and I'm not very good at those things."

"I wasn't either but Jinsoul was able to train me in months," Hyejoo stated. "It's only about mastering some spells and being observant. Considering you're level two, we do have a bit of work to do though but at least you aren't a beginner with magic."

Every witch had their level of magic, which can be identified but certain witches - specifically cosmic but there are exceptions. Depending on how many spells you know and how confident you are in them, the level of magic can change. All witches start at level zero from birth and get higher with practice, with the highest being a rare level ten.

"What level are you?"

"Level five, which the minimum that Jinsoul is looking towards for each one of us," Hyejoo answered. "Jinsoul herself is level seven, Jungeun is level six, and Heejin is the highest at level nine."

"Woah, how did Heejin get that high?"

"Most likely due to her upbringing," Hyejoo concluded. "Heejin is the granddaughter of the sixth member of the council, meaning that her grandmother has mastered every spell. While most witches in adolescence are at about two or three, she was already at six. That's how she can assess you so easily with just a look."

"Wow, she really is talented..."

Hyejoo unlocked the door and the two of them entered. This time, Chaewon was greeted by an older-looking lady sitting on the couch by the entrance with a book in her hands. The lady looked up from reading and her face seems to light up with joy.

"You must be Chaewon," the lady spoke up. "It's wonderful to meet you."

"It's wonderful to meet you too, uh..."

"This is Audette, my mentor and the owner of this house," Hyejoo explained. "But you can also call her Lady Yunhee if you want to."

"Make yourself feel at home here," Audette told her kindly. "I heard that you're Calliope's daughter so I'm looking forward to what you'll bring to this household."

"Um, thank you?" Chaewon bowed awkwardly, unsure of what that meant. 

"Follow me," Hyejoo interjected, leading Chaewon up the staircase.

"What did she mean by that?" Chaewon asked when they were upstairs.

"Who knows? Audette always says weird things," Hyejoo shrugged. "Sometimes, I think she can be a little nuts in the head. I love her but there are times she can be off."

"How old is she anyway?" Chaewon wondered. "I know we stop physically aging at thirty but she sounds pretty young. Isn't she like a mother figure for you?"

"Well, she's more like a second older sister or a cousin than anything," Hyejoo corrected. "She's thirty-four years old so not that old. Just twice my age. But don't worry about what she says. None of us ever understand."

"You're here pretty early," Jinsoul noted as the two of them stepped into the lunar witch's bedroom. 

"I didn't want to waste your time if you were busy," Chaewon claimed considerately. "I thought I would come earlier because of that."

"Uh, right, well, thank you for being tactful," Jinsoul cleared her throat, not expecting that kind of response. "Jungeun is almost done preparing the bath. Just relax for a few minutes."

Chaewon nodded and waited patiently on the bed next to Hyejoo. Seconds later, Heejin stepped into the room and leaned against the wall near the door, promptly pulling out her phone. This time, the cosmic witch looked relaxed and not at all upset like yesterday evening.

"Heejin, are you feeling better today?" Chaewon asked when observing this. 

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm cool," Heejin responded, only glancing up for a second. "Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, yeah, forget about that," Heejin said in annoyance, sounding like she wanted the conversation to end. "I'm good."

"Did something happen with her?" Hyejoo asked after this exchange. 

"I don't know. I was with Hyunjin yesterday and she into the dorm looking like she's been crying," Chaewon whispered. "I don't want to be nosy but she looked really upset."

"Heejin is a secretive person so we won't know what happened," Hyejoo whispered back. "That girl is filled with mysteries. I would be surprised if she did mention anything." 

"Everything is ready- oh, you're here already!" Jungeun came into the room and immediately noticed Chaewon. "Perfect timing! Come with me!"

Chaewon followed the green witch into the bathroom, closing the door when both of them entered. Inside, there were candles and crystals placed all over the room. The bathtub was filled with milk and decorated with rose petals. The scent of rosemary instantly hit her nose as she entered, causing her to feel at ease. 

"Just take off your clothes and get inside in the tub," Jungeun instructed her. "I'll be out the door until you finish."

"Okay," Chaewon understood as Jungeun left her in the bathroom alone.

It was awkward being naked around others, even if most of her body will be covered by the milk. Chaewon had not been in a situation like this since she was nine and learned her witch type so it felt strange at first. Although, many witches did not mind nudity since it had been a part of their culture since the beginning of their kind. Maybe it was the fact that Chaewon was raised by faeries instead of witches that she was so self-aware. 

Finally, all of her clothes were off and she got inside the ceremonial bath - the feeling of tranquility coming in an instant. A minute passed and she finally called Jungeun back in, after feeling comfortable. The green witch came in and grabbed the bottle on the sink countertop. She then kneeled on the side of the tub and poured the bottle's contents into her hand.

"This next part should take only a few minutes," Jungeun explained. "I just need to rub this all over your arms, chest, and face then Jinsoul will come in here to finish the first stage."

"O-Oh, alright," Chaewon stuttered, redness forming in her cheeks. 

"You're cute, you know that?" Jungeun chuckled as she rubbed her body oil-covered hands together repeatedly. "You don't have to be embarrassed. I'm not going to touch anywhere private if you're worried."

"I'm sorry, this is all just new to me," Chaewon laughed sheepishly. "You can go ahead..."

Jungeun smiled and gently held Chaewon's right hand, stretching out her arm. Delicately, she spread the body oil all over both of her arms. When the green witch reached her chest, she paused for a second when she noticed the jewelry around the faery witch's neck.

"That's a pretty necklace you got there," Jungeun complimented, her eyebrows raising in intrigue. The necklace had a silver chain with a sun-shaped pendant. "Where did you get that from?"

"I've had it since I was a little girl," Chaewon recalled. "I don't remember where this came from since I've had it when I was three or four years old. I just wear it because I feel like it has some meaning."

"Interesting," Jungeun hummed. "I only bring it up because Jinsoul and Hyejoo have that same necklace."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Hyejoo just wears it occasionally and Jinsoul wears it once a week at most," Jungeun nodded. "But it makes sense..."

"What do you mean?"

"You all make a...special group, I would say," Jungeun said vaguely as she continued with her work. "You'll see what I mean later. Let's just say that both of your families are much closer than you think."

Chaewon stayed quiet since she did not know how to respond to that. She did say that she felt like she knew Hyejoo from somewhere but she still could not interpret what Jungeun was saying. Instead, she let the older woman finish her work in silence.

"Done," Jungeun said as she stood back on her feet. "I'll bring Jinsoul in here right now. You don't need to do anything else until then."

"Okay, thank you," Chaewon smiled. 

"Oh, and before I forget to ask," Jungeun halted before leaving the bathroom. "How is it going with Hyejoo? Are you getting along?"

"It's going well. We're getting along better than expected so that's good. Why?"

"Nothing, just wondering..."

Jungeun smirked and opened the door, going to get her girlfriend. Chaewon, who had not noticed the smirk, shrugged off the brief converse. 

Jinsoul came into the bathroom soon after, remaining silent until she kneeled next to her.

"Before I mark you, I have a few rules I need you to agree with," Jinsoul began. "First off, we enforce privacy within our coven, simply because we don't want any hunters coming after us. So you must never discuss anything we do with people outside of the coven and council unless we permit you."

Chaewon nodded, allowing Jinsoul to continue.

"Additionally, we maintain a perfect reputation with the council. Therefore, I expect you to follow the rules they have created. If I find out you break any of those rules, you will be kicked out and reported."

Jinsoul paused for a few seconds and sighed.

"Seeing as the task we are helping you with involved the council, the rules will be bent slightly but only if it is required for the task. If we find out that there is nothing immoral going on, we will halt immediately. I will not be biased but I will also not rush to conclusions. Again, none of your mission's progression will be discussed outside of the five of us."

"Thank you," Chaewon appreciated.

"If you break these conditions, you will be kicked out of this coven. And, in case you don't know, being removed from a coven is a painful process and I strongly recommend not let that happen to you. This is your last chance to refuse. Do you consent to officially being marked?"

"I consent," Chaewon agreed without any delay. "I'm fine with all of those rules."

"Alright," Jinsoul said as she brought her hand to Chaewon's cheek, making the younger woman face her. "Hold still."

Chaewon watched as the tip of Jinsoul's finger turned royal blue and began to glow. With the same finger, the lunar witch pressed it against her forehead and began to draw a symbol. When she finished, Jinsoul lifted her head and kissed the symbol gently.

In an instant, Chaewon felt a strong power flow through her body that she could not explain. She had heard that the ritual of joining a coven was a unique and other-worldly experience, which so far proved to be true even though there was still the second half. It was like she was gaining a power she never had imagined before.

When Jinsoul lowered her head, her eyes wandered to the necklace that Jungeun pointed out earlier. She stared for a while as thoughts ran through her mind.

"How long have you had this?"

"Um, when I was around three or four years old," Chaewon answered quickly, feeling nervous under the coven leader's pensive gaze.

Jinsoul's eyes repeatedly looked down at the pendant and up to Chaewon's face, deep in thought. She mouthed a few words that the faery witch could not comprehend, finally breaking out of her trance.

"Get dressed and meet me outside the door," Jinsoul instructed as she stood up and immediately left the bathroom. 

'𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵?' Chaewon asked herself as she got out of the bath and started to dry herself with a towel. 

It seemed like every day there was something strange going on with someone she just met. Everyone seemed to know certain things about her that they just keep vaguely hinting at. Whatever was going on was confusing and Chaewon did not know if she should be more eager or afraid to find out.

"The second half of this ritual should be simple," Jinsoul claimed as they walked to a different room. "Just listen to my instructions and you'll be fine. If you feel any pain or discomfort, please tell us immediately."

"I will," Chaewon understood as they stepped into the room. 

The room had no furniture and was mostly empty besides the symbol of a star within a circle that was drawn on the floor. At each point of the star, there was a lighted candle with a different color. At closer inspection, the candle colors seemed to represent the five of their witch types - faery witch was pink, dragonic witch was red, green witch was pastel green, lunar witch was dark blue, and a cosmic witch was violet. Just like in the bathroom, there were candles placed everywhere along with the rosemary scent. Jungeun, Heejin, and Hyejoo all turned their heads when they walked in, already prepared for their part.

"Sit in the middle of the star," Jinsoul guided, prompting Chaewon to do so. 

After Chaewon was in her place, the other four women went to their own places. They all sat down behind their designated candle and closed their eyes, pressing her hands together. When they all began to speak in an ancient wiccan language, Chaewon felt a fluttering sensation in her chest. The candles began to glow brighter and the other women were illuminating the color that matched. The room's temperature became much colder while her body was heating up, especially in this place where Jinsoul had drawn the symbol.

This ritual went on for five minutes until some notable changes had started. The first difference was how Chaewon was able to see all of the other women's symbols on their foreheads - which was a crescent moon inside of a sun. The rest of the differences were difficult to explain as they were more mental and emotional. For some reason, Chaewon could feel an overflow of varying emotions - both positive and negative. Based on her research, this had to be the feelings of the other coven members, since that was a part of their connection.

The moment the four of them opened their eyes, the whole room went back to normal. They could see that the faery witch had a matching symbol on her forehead, meaning that the ritual was successful and complete. 

"And you're done!" Jungeun announced gleefully. "How do you feel?"

"Pretty great! It's like I can feel a mix of whatever you all are feeling," Chaewon tried to describe. "I also feel really warm though."

"That's bound to happen but you'll feel like normal in a few hours," Heejin reassured. "As long as you're not so hot that you're sweating, then you'll be fine."

"Welcome to our coven, Chaewon," Hyejoo greeted with a small smile as they all got off the floor. "I hope you enjoy being with us."

"I bet I will," Chaewon giggled, causing the dragonic witch's smile to grow larger. 

Jungeun chuckled at the scene but noticed her girlfriend at the corner of her eye. Jinsoul was staring at them, neither in anger or disgust but with realization. Her eyebrows furrowed as if she was contemplating a thought for a good minute. 

"Everything okay, baby?" Jungeun asked, startling her. "You're thinking pretty hard over there. Is it about Chaewon?"

"...Sort of," Jinsoul replied. "I knew the moment I heard that name that she was familiar. And then how much she is getting along with Hyejoo...it just makes sense. And then the necklace..."

"Oh, so you noticed that too?" Jungeun raised an eyebrow. "So, what will you do about it?"

"Nothing, for now," Jinsoul stated. "She clearly doesn't understand it yet, especially since she is lacking in some knowledge about witch history. Actually, it's a good thing that she's getting along with my sister...a very good thing."

"Should I continue to keep an eye on them?"

"Yes, until their relationship extends past platonic. Then I'll tell them."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! This is where the plot of the story truly begins! First, Chaewon officially meets Jinsoul, who clearly was not fond of her at first. But after hearing Chaewon's mother's name, she had no choice but to help her. Later, you'll know more about Calliope (Chaewon's mother) and understand her significance.
> 
> We also know a bit of backstory behind Jinsoul and Hyejoo, seeing why they are in this sort of living condition. There will be more flashbacks about every main character (all 12 members) since each of them have a unique background that shape their personalities or relationships (or both). The loss of their parents truly shaped how they act, which you will see further into the story.
> 
> Also, the small scene with Chaewon and Hyunjin. There is the side plot about the "secret lover" but if you read the tags, you already know who it is! Chaewon is catching onto what's going on with Heejin and Hyunjin but doesn't know the extent yet. But I can promise that next chapter, you'll know much more.
> 
> At this point, the story will pick up so I'm excited for you all to read it!
> 
> Anyway, tell me your thoughts on the first chapter! I can't wait to read your predictions, hopes, and thoughts on this chapter and the rest of the fic!
> 
> > Updates every five days  
> > Insta: @hyesappho 
> 
> See you next time!


	4. 𝑰𝑽 - 𝑨𝒇𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒖 𝑪𝒐𝒆𝒖𝒓

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙩 - 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙭𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮

"Your parents have been asking about you, you know."

"I know," Heejin sighed into the phone, rocking in her chair. "They'll never stop until I permanently come back."

"Yeah, unfortunately," the friend on the phone said. "They wanted me to call you and find out when you are coming home."

"Tell them that it won't be any time soon," Heejin stated firmly. "I'm busy with school and with my coven. Maybe I'll come a few hours during winter break but we'll see."

"Is school and work the only reason why you're not coming?"

Heejin was about to respond when a message notification popped up on her phone:

𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 ✨ 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺 ✨

> 𝘪𝘮 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳. 

> 𝘪 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘺 💞

Heejin's lips instantly stretched into a smile while reading the texts. She only snapped out of it when she heard her friend repeatedly calling her. 

"Heejin? Are you there?"

"Oh, y-yeah! I'm here," Heejin quickly spoke up. "Yeah, those are the only two reasons."

"Heejin, I know that you have a girlfriend but I have to warn you that you're parents are-"

"I know, please don't remind me," Heejin groaned. "Just tell them that I'll call them before the end of the week."

"Okay, I will. I wish I could do more to help you..."

"Don't blame yourself, it's not your fault. I was born into this life and I can't escape it. By now, I've excepted that fact. All I can do is hope that I can stall the inevitable a bit longer."

"I wish you good luck then. Talk to you later."

"Bye," Heejin ended the call, exhaling heavily right after. 

Sometimes, Heejin desired to just abandon her current life and run away to live the way she wanted to. Devastatingly, that was impossible no matter how much she wished it to be.

Being the granddaughter of one of the witch council members certainly came with its positives and negatives. The advantages including the number of respect witches had for you since impudence could get them punished by the council themselves. You also get access to more complex spells that only the council knee about. 

However, the negatives outshined the positives these days. You were expected to be a role model for all witches, meaning that you must follow all of the rules while being honorable. Ever since Heejin was young, she was brought up to be perfect at everything. She was forced to study every single spell and learn about every bit of witch history. If she made a mistake, her parents and teachers made sure to reprimand her for it. 

All of this served the purpose of preparing her for if her grandmother were to be killed, which would mean Heejin would take her place. As much as she did not want that, it was inevitable since she was of the ancient royal bloodline. After university, it was likely that her parents would make her marry a witch and start her proper preliminary work. 

Unless her parents were to change their minds, Heejin had to accept this fate. However, the part about marrying another witch was what disturbed her the most. For one, forcing her into marrying someone she barely knows is torture in and of itself. 

But the reason why it hurt her the most was because she already had a person she loved.

"I'm back!" 

Heejin got up and walked outside of her bedroom without wasting a beat, meeting the person at the door.

"I brought the food and drinks, and we can watch some movies if you want," Hyunjin said while holding the full plastic bags. "I know you had a bad day yesterday so I thought I would-"

Heejin threw herself onto her roommate and crushed her lips against the other woman's. Hyunjin took a few seconds to register the action but eventually dropped her bags and kissed her back, along with her eyes closing while she placed her hands on Heejin's waist. They made out for several minutes, kissing each other intimately but nowhere near heated. When they pulled away, Heejin cupped Hyunjin's face with her hands as she looked lovingly into her eyes.

"Thank you," Heejin finally said, smiling sweetly. "You know, I told you that you didn't need to do this."

"Yeah but when I remembered you crying yesterday, I felt terrible so I did this anyway," Hyunjin explained, her eyes fixed on the witch. "You're so somber lately so maybe this will cheer up at least a bit."

"You being here is enough but I still appreciate this."

"No need to thank me," Hyunjin pecked her lips. "Now, how about we eat together in my room?"

"That's fine - let me just change into my pajamas first."

"Alright, I'll set up everything in the meantime."

Heejin went back to her room while Hyunjin went to her own after a few more kisses. As she closed the door, the witch let out a blissful sigh as her worries started to fade away. 

Heejin and Hyunjin had known each other since they were ten years old. At the time, they would have to keep their meetings a secret, as Heejin talking with any non-witches, was strictly forbidden considering her status. As soon as Hyunjin was moving to Earth with her parents, Heejin convinced her parents to let her do the same, albeit after months of pleading. They started dating soon after junior year of high school began and have been happily together since.

No one knew that they were girlfriends except for Hyunjin's parents, who supported them wholeheartedly. Besides them, everyone assumed that they were either just casual acquaintances or frenemies. A witch dating anyone who was not a witch - whether a human or any other mythical creature - was strictly forbidden. Besides her parents bring outraged, Heejin would not know how her friends would react. Since Jinsoul was a firm follower of the council, she expected that the coven leader would not be fond of this. It was especially difficult with Hyunjin being a succubus, which was frowned upon by witches for their sexual behavior.

For now, Hyunjin would just have to remain her "secret lover" that everyone assumed to be her friend. Their future was unknown due to the issues with Heejin's family and their controversial relationship but they were getting through it day by day.

"Ready to eat?" Hyunjin asked as Heejin came into her room. By that time, all of the food, drinks, and ice cream containers were out of their bags. The laptop was set up with a movie and there was a blanket to wrap around them. The succubus also changed into her pajamas, ready to relax for hours.

"Ready," Heejin nodded and sat next to Hyunjin on the floor. "You finished all of your homework, right?"

"Uh, more or less," Hyunjin chuckled awkwardly. "I have a two-hundred-and-fifty word paper to do for first-year seminar but I can do that in the morning."

"Then we don't have to do this-"

"Babe, I told you that I wanted to do this for you," Hyunjin reassured her genuinely. "That essay will be easy for me to do. Right now, you're my main focus so just relax and enjoy yourself."

"I'll try," Heejin sighed as Hyunjin wrapped the blanket around both of them.

Gradually, Heejin did loosen up and they were able to enjoy the evening. After they finished eating, they continued to watch another movie while cuddling on the floor. Eventually, their attention steered away from the laptop and towards each other as they started kissing once again. Heejin ended up on Hyunjin's lap as they were making out for a while, which led to the succubus picking up the witch and bringing her to the bed.

"You're really eager," Heejin noticed with a slight smirk as Hyunjin got on top of her. 

"It's been over two weeks," Hyunjin reminded her. "My energy is starting to drain. Any longer and I'll pass out."

It was true that the last time they had sex was about two weeks and a half ago. Even though her human side allowed her to not need sexual contact every few days like most succubi, Hyunjin still needed some about every two weeks to maintain her health properly. Even a month gap between sex could even lead to death. Hyunjin hated that she had to constantly rely on Heejin for this but the witch reassured her that she never minded. 

"Then you can have me all night to make up for it," Heejin offered. "I don't have class until the afternoon tomorrow."

"That would be perfect..." Hyunjin said right before she attached her lips to her girlfriend's neck, causing her to let out quiet moans.

When it came time for Hyunjin to take off her shirt, Heejin felt a tightness in her throat. Her top eventually came off and the succubus paused her advances.

"Where did this come from?" Hyunjin asked as she noticed the cut on the witch's arm that was covered by the shirt's sleeve.

"Um, just from one of my missions," Heejin stated quickly. "No big deal - just a hunter."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, don't worry about it," Heejin insisted. "It will heal by tomorrow so let's just continue."

Hyunjin stared at her for a while, making Heejin slightly nervous. Luckily, she gave in with a sigh after not finding any reason to not believe her girlfriend.

"Fine but just be careful next time."

"I will, I promise..." 

To Heejin's benefit, by the time all of their clothes were off and they were distracted by pleasure, Hyunjin had completely forgotten about the injury. By the end, Hyunjin had fallen asleep beside her that allowed the witch to exhale out of relief. 

Lately, every day felt like a never-ending cycle that involved keeping many of what she went through from others. Despite Hyunjin being the lover that she trusted more than anyone, Heejin would never let any person know everything. 

No one could ever know.

Even if her secrets killed her.

***

The following few weeks of the university became like a routine. For the most part, Chaewon understood her classes pretty well and had everything on track. Maybe it was because of the support from her new friends that she felt more confident than before. Additionally, her meet-ups with Hyejoo at the end of the week relieved some of the stress.

"So this is the cat you keep complaining about?" Hyejoo said smugly as a black cat appeared in front of her.

"Is that all I am known for?" Evelyn gasped, feeling offended. "I am Evelyn, properly known for being the cat that has accompanied many royal bloodlines for centuries. I am not an ordinary feline."

"Oh, I know," Chaewon whispered teasingly. 

"And you are?"

"Uh, Hyejoo? Best known for....being your master's roommate," Hyejoo responded. "Clearly not as important as you."

"Obviously you wouldn't be but we appreciate the modesty."

"Which is something you clearly lack..." Chaewon snorted.

"I am modest but I have to state my importance before my subject gets the wrong idea."

"Subject?" Hyejoo blinked. 

"Although, since you are getting along with Chaewon quite exquisitely, one is to assume that you are going to be upgraded to being my second master," Evelyn recognized. "I see your relationship has blossomed over the few weeks."

"Uh..."

"Anyway, on to important things!" Chaewon speedily interjected. "I wanted you to bring your camera because I'm showing you something special today."

The day before, Chaewon had a different idea of what they could do on their meet-up. Usually, they would just talk while having lunch and exploring; other times, they would do simple artsy activities. Since they were getting closer, the faery witch trusted her enough to show her a hidden part of the faery realm. Knowing that Hyejoo loved photography, Chaewon knew she would love it.

"We'll have to go faery-sized in order to see it," Chaewon explained. "Then we'll have Evelyn take us there."

Hyejoo nodded and allowed for Chaewon to start drawing the casting symbol. After the spell was completed, the two witches shrunk to the same size as the faeries in the realm. The only one who was normal-sized was Evelyn, who was looming over them. 

"Come on, I have a nap scheduled soon," Evelyn urged, laying down so that the two of them could climb on her back. Once they were safely on the cat, they began to travel to the destination. 

Ten minutes later, Evelyn stopped in front of a bush covered with pink flowers. When they got down, Chaewon led Hyejoo towards the bush, which was massive-looking with how tall they were currently. The faery witch pushed the leaves away and revealed a small path for them to walk through.

"We'll be back soon!" Chaewon told her familiar before they entered the secret passageway.

They walked for about five minutes before they were able to see sunlight in the distance.

"Close your eyes," Chaewon instructed, prompting the dragonic witch to do so. "I want this to be a surprise!"

Hyejoo allowed Chaewon to hold her hands and guide her to the end of the path. She could tell they were at the end once her roommate stopped moving and she could feel the heat from the sun. 

"Okay, open your eyes!"

Hyejoo opened her eyes and her jaw immediately dropped. 

In front of them, there was a densely populated faery town. There were many cottages and shops made out of wood and flowers, giving the town a rustic and agricultural aesthetic. Every faery wore flowy dresses with puffy sleeves - most of them being a shade of beige, pink, yellow, or baby blue. Some little girls were running around and playing with woodland creatures that were much larger than them, while others helped their mothers with chores in the shops. 

As they walked closer to the town, Hyejoo's senses began to pick up on the pleasant features of the area. She could hear the sounds of violins and pianos, creating a melodious tune that she never heard before. As they got closer to the shops, she picked up on the scents of baked bread and sweet pastries. 

"Here," Chaewon said as she offered a sample of a slice of pound cake.

Hyejoo took a bite of the baked good and instantly moaned from the sumptuous taste. She finished the sample in less than a minute, savoring every single bite. 

While they strolled through the area, Hyejoo took several pictures with the camera, admiring the scenery and its details. She had been to many realms and seen many places but none of them even came close to the beauty of this town. Additionally, the sight of blissful people freely enjoying their tranquil lifestyle was contagious as Hyejoo could not hold back the smile from appearing on her face.

"I'm guessing that you like this place?" Chaewon spoke up when she noticed her roommate's facial expression.

"Like? I adore this place!" Hyejoo corrected. "Everything is just so...grand! I thought that the forest was aesthetically pleasing enough but this town makes everything else look dull in comparison."

"That's why I love coming here," Chaewon explained, pleased by the comment. "Everyone here is so nice and friendly. I wish I had time to come here more often but I might stay here a few days over the holidays."

"I wish I could come here all the time but I would know where to go," Hyejoo claimed. "You probably have friends here so I bet it's easier. I'd get lost too easily."

"Well, if you want, you can come with me during the holidays," Chaewon offered nervously, looking at the ground. "I know it's a weird offer and I'm sure you have other plans but-"

"I would love to."

"Really??" 

"Yeah, it sounds like it could be nice," Hyejoo chuckled. "I did say I wanted to come here, didn't I? Plus, I'm not that busy during that time so I'm down for whatever."

"But, would it be awkward or...?"

"Why would it be awkward?"

"Because we're not even friends but you're willing to go on this trip with me," Chaewon elaborated. "B-But I would love to be friends and would go on the trip regardless if we were or not."

"Oh...that's right," Hyejoo understood. "I guess I didn't state it officially."

"State what?"

"Look, I'm not the type to make friends so I didn't plan on this happening," Hyejoo started. "But you're a pretty sweet girl. We've been meeting up for almost a month now so I think it's fair if I finally call you my friend. I guess it was kind of rude of me to deny it for so long."

"Wait, really??" Chaewon immediately beamed. "So, you're my friend now?"

"Yes, I am. It makes sense so-"

"Thank you!" Chaewon exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "Oh, before we go, I should take you to see my friend. It will be quick!"

"That's fine," Hyejoo smiled softly as she briefly hugged her back before they continued walking.

Chaewon took Hyejoo to one of the shops nearby. Walking inside, the dragonic witch realized that it was a hair salon mixed with a clothing store. They walked towards the register where a young woman around their age was standing, waving at them heartily.

"Chaewon, what a delightful surprise!" the faery said, coming from behind the register to give her friend a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Jisu, hey!" Chaewon hugged back. "I brought my friend here, Hyejoo, and it's her first time. I thought you would give the special treatment you have me!"

"Ah, the special treatment, huh?" Jisu interpreted, staring at Hyejoo for a few seconds. "I think I can do that!"

"What is the special treatment?" Hyejoo asked, completely lost.

"You'll see!" Jisu chuckled as she dragged Hyejoo by the wrist to one of the salon chairs. 

Meanwhile, Chaewon was looking around the store for anything interesting that caught her eye. Even though the shop sold mostly clothing, there were a few random items that were sold at the back. Chaewon walked until she noticed something strange with one of the sewn pieces. There was a blanket hung up that had the sun symbol that matched the pendant around her neck. Inside the sun, there was a silhouette of a deer rearing its head upwards proudly. For some reason, the whole design looked familiar to her but she did not know where.

"Done!" Jisu called out. "Chaewon, come look!"

"Coming!" Chaewon called back as she picked up the blanket and went back to where they were.

Chaewon gasped when she saw Hyejoo. Just like the "special treatment" entailed, the dragonic witch's hair was separated into two braids with a few loose strands of hair being curled at the front. In the braids, there were red camellias, geraniums, and morning glories decorated - along with a flower crown that consisted of the same flowers. It looked better than Chaewon imagined in her head, causing her heart to flutter.

"You look so... beautiful..." Chaewon said in awe. "The hairstyle fits you perfectly!"

"R-Really?" Hyejoo blushed lightly. "It's not really my style but I admit that it looks nice."

"I'm glad you guys are pleased," Jisu grinned. "Oh, are you getting that blanket?"

"Possibly but I was just wondering where you got this from," Chaewon explained, showing the design to them. "It looks familiar."

"Yeah, it kinda does..." Hyejoo agreed, examining the blanket before mumbling: "Where have I seen that before...?"

"The blanket was given to us about a week ago," Jisu explained. "We always accept these donated items to our shop. So, when a woman gave this to us, we allowed it to be sold here."

"Who was the woman?"

"She didn't give us her real name but I remember that her presenting name was Aine," Jisu recalled. "She wasn't a faery but she wasn't human either. I think she made it herself but I'm not entirely sure. But you can but it if you want to find out more!"

Aine sounded like a name both Chaewon and Hyejoo had heard of before. Whether it was all in their head or was told to them at a young age, neither of them knew for sure. However, the design was all they needed to know that this was worth digging into.

"I would love to, thanks," Chaewon nodded and allowed Jisu to ring it up. The faery witch paid for the blanket and Hyejoo's "special treatment"; then, they were on their way. 

"Come back soon!" Jisu encouraged as they were walking out. 

"I will - trust me," Chaewon stated just before leaving.

"I think we should investigate that blanket," Hyejoo suggested. "I have a feeling there's something special about it."

"That's what I was thinking," Chaewon agreed. "The sun matches our necklaces and when the dear is mixed in, the whole picture is just too familiar. Maybe we should talk to Jinsoul and-"

"Wait, how about we keep this to ourselves?" Hyejoo advised. "Jinsoul has already enough on her plate and I'd rather not bother everyone else. We have all the time to work on this so maybe we could casually do so. I think we're capable of doing a bit of research."

"I'm okay with that," Chaewon said with understanding. "I'm sure we can put our heads together and figure it out!"

"Exactly," Hyejoo hummed before changing the subject. "I want to thank you again for taking me here. I enjoyed every part of this place. I'm shocked that you could tell that I would like it here..."

"I guess I could tell because you seem like someone who appreciates the world around you, kinda like me," Chaewon said shyly, glancing at her feet a few times. "I figured that if you enjoy taking pictures and admiring each realm, I supposed you'd like this too. I come here to destress so maybe it could do the same for you..."

"Well, you guessed correctly," Hyejoo smiled rewardingly. "Again, thank you."

"You're welcome..."

Chaewon and Hyejoo took their time going back to Evelyn, who scolded them for "taking too long" (even though it had been forty minutes). When they were far enough away, the faery witch turned them back into their normal size. Finally, they teleported back to their dormroom and were about to go separate ways.

"Jinsoul wants to meet with us tonight," Hyejoo told her before they left. "She wants to discuss both the council's mission and yours."

"That's fine, we've waited long enough anyway," Chaewon understood. They did not want to wait almost a month before getting work but they wanted to get settled with the university first. Plus, Jinsoul had to do some "behind-the-scenes" research before they could get started.

"I'll see you in a couple of hours," Hyejoo waved with a smile before entering her room. 

"See you," Chaewon waved, smiling gaily back at her. 

"Geez, could you two be even more in love?" Evelyn teased but Chaewon was in too good of a mood to care.

***

"Alright, back to business," Jinsoul stated firmly when everyone had arrived and had taken a seat at the meeting table. "We have to discuss our two major tasks right now. First, we will discuss what the council gave us. I have a place where we can start and it's much closer than we think."

"We were able to get in contact with one of the past victims of the leader of this organization," Jungeun continued before chuckling. "Well, I say 'contact' but she was really just a door knock away. It's my roommate, Haseul."

"Haseul? That's Yerim's friend, right?" Chaewon remembered. "I don't know much about her but I know she's a witch."

"Yes but she is much more than that," Jungeun corrected. "Actually, she was killed by them about fifteen years ago when it was just a few members."

"But isn't she alive though?..."

"Exactly, she is," Jungeun nodded. "But also not - she's a zombie."

"Wait, what? Those exist?" Hyejoo leaned back in shock. "I thought it was just a myth!"

"Nope, they're real alright," Heejin confirmed. "They're just extremely rare. Once a witch dies, their soul has completely left their body. So, the only way to be brought back is to acquire a life force equivalent to that. The only way to get that is to be blessed by an ancient legendary beast - a silvebeast."

"A silvebeast?" Chaewon repeated with widened eyes. "That's what my birth mother told me to look for!"

"Exactly, and that's why we're discussing your mission as well," Jinsoul claimed. "Seems like these two situations are partially intertwined. Maybe we can some information out of Haseul about her past and the silvebeast."

"However, you can't expect much out of her," Heejin reminded them straightforwardly. "Zombies can't retain memories - only knowledge. For example, if you tell Haseul your name, she'll know the name but not who told her or who it belongs to. If you tell Haseul to meet you somewhere, she'll know she has to go to that place but not who told her that or why. So, with that logic, she might have information on the organization and the silvebeast but she can't go into specifics on what her experiences were."

"Well, that certainly puts a limit on what we will find out," Hyejoo sighed. "But at least it's a start."

"Haseul said she can meet with us tomorrow so just meet outside of our dorm," Jungeun instructed. "Then we can move on from there!"

"After tomorrow, we can begin training you on your spell casting," Jinsoul told the faery witch. "I'm certain that Hyejoo told you that I require you to be at least level five before you can join us on dangerous ventures. Since you're a level two, we have quite a bit of work."

"Well, she doesn't necessarily have to be a combat caster," Jungeun realized. "I mean, Heejin and Hyejoo are pretty well-rounded in that area. Babe, you focus more on the elements and I focus on healing. So, Chaewon could work on a bit of both the elements and healing since faery witches doing focus on nature and helping others."

"That's a good idea," Jinsoul agreed. "A combination of the two could work well for us. Plus, we could teach her a bit on the elemental side since we all have skills in that to an extent. Maybe she could go up two levels in elements and one level in healing."

"I would like that," Chaewon smiled with an agreement. "Thanks for teaching me."

"Not a problem," Jinsoul said simply before continuing. "So, we have one more thing to discuss for today. I read over your mother's letter and I saw the second step of her task. Now, it states that we need access to an astrolabe and that I know someone who has it. And, well..."

Jinsoul turned her head to face Heejin, who had tensed up and folded her arms.

"Haha, that's not going to happen."

"Why?" Chaewon asked with a frown. "Is it difficult to get or something? I can help!"

"Sort of," Hyejoo sighed. "The astrolabe is only given access to those with a royal bloodline because it reveals the secrets of the constellations and stars. The knowledge is too great to be shown to common witches so Heejin's family has it in their home. So, the only way to get it is for Heejin to see her parents..."

"...Who are people are that I don't want to see," Heejin strictly stated. "We aren't the best speaking terms right now or ever. So, I'm sorry but you'll have to find another way to get the astrolabe."

"Aw, come on, Heejin!" Jungeun pleaded. "This is the only and quickest way we can get our hands on one! Can't you just go there for dinner and just use it really quickly?"

"There is a reason why I haven't been back for over two years. Even then, I only went back about once a year before then when I came to Earth. I'm not changing my mind, that's final."

"Heejin, you have to get past this issue and just go back," Jinsoul groaned. "You're lucky to have parents who push you towards greatness. You have the opportunity to be a council member but you're just wasting it. You're lucky to have so many benefits that witches like me only dream of. And that's why you're ignoring them? You should be grateful."

"Don't fucking tell me what I should be grateful for!!" Heejin snapped while slamming her fist on the table. "You have no idea what I've been through and yet you say that I'm lucky?! You don't know how my parents are like so stop acting like you're some kind of expert! Go figure out how to get an astrolabe on your own!"

Before anyone could say anything else, Heejin teleported away in an outrage.

"Well, she'll be gone for a few days," Jungeun sighed awkwardly. "Um, I'll try talking to her later."

"Let's end the meeting here," Jinsoul announced regretfully. "We'll meet tomorrow in front of Jungeun's dorm. And with the astrolabe, we'll try looking into other methods if we can't convince Heejin."

Chaewon felt guilty for the fight from earlier. Even if she was not the one who made Heejin leave, she could tell that this was a touchy subject for her. It did not take a scientist to know that something about her parents was triggering so Chaewon did not blame her reaction. It reminded her of the time she saw the cosmic witch crying and wondered if those two were correlated since Heejin attempted to be vague about what was bothering her. Maybe she should try apologizing to her - if she was willing to see her again.

***

"I guess Heejin isn't going to join us," Hyejoo observed when she and Chaewon got to Jungeun's dorm. "I don't blame her, honestly."

"I feel bad for yesterday," Chaewon commented guiltily. "I think we touched a sensitive spot for her. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable or upset..."

"Neither do I but I wished she would still help us," Hyejoo sighed. "Based on the letter, Heejin seems to be the only one who can get us access to that astrolabe. But I also wished she didn't have to see her parents in order to get it."

"Exactly but I wonder how my mother knew about Heejin and that we would be friends with her," Chaewon realized suddenly. "She seems to we were going to meet even before we did."

"Oh, how long were you two out here?' Jungeun questioned when she finally opened the door. "Come on in!"

Chaewon and Hyejoo entered the dorm and into the room right by the door. Inside, Jinsoul was already there along with Haseul sitting on the bed next to her. From stories, you would assume that zombies were all unintelligent and had rotting flesh. But here was Haseul - skin looking like any other person and clearly was smart if she not only made it to university but also was a nursing major. 

"This is Haseul," Jungeun introduced. "She's a bit shy but she's ready to answer any of your questions. Just keep in mind that she can't go into experiences but she'll try her best to give some info."

"Okay, let's start with a simple question," Jinsoul began. "What do you know about that organization? Any bit of information is valuable."

"Hmm, I don't know...too much," Haseul stated in monotone, speaking at a slower pace. "I know that...there is a person...named Lee Chinhwa. Dangerous man, very dangerous..."

"In what way is he dangerous?"

"He hurt me... pretty bad. I am this way because of him..."

"So he killed you?" Jinsoul concluded. "And what else do you know about him?"

"I don't know...anything else except that he is... a terrible man and that I should...stay away from him...But I don't know what he looks like...or where he lives...so it's hard to do that..."

From the way Haseul was speaking and the sadness in her tone, Chaewon felt bad that she had to exist in this way. Even though she was a second chance at life, Haseul still had to struggle with being able to remember the simplest of things. Chaewon could not imagine not being able to keep the memories she gained with loved ones.

"When we figure out who and where he is, we'll make sure to protect you," Jungeun reassured, placing a comforting hand on Haseul's lap. 

"I would...like that. Thank you," Haseul nodded, not showing much change in emotion. 

"Then maybe you can help us more with the second topic," Jinsoul offered. "Do you know what a silvebeast is?"

"A silvebeast is a... mystical creature that gave me life," Haseul recalled. "My master is a silvebeast. She saved my life."

"Do you know her name?"

"She reminds me that her name is Aine...when she visits me..."

"Aine?" Chaewon and Hyejoo exclaimed in unison.

"Do you know who that is?" Jinsoul asked, puzzled by the reaction.

"Uh, no, just...sounds familiar," Hyejoo fibbed while chuckling sheepishly. "But do you know what she looks like or where we can find her?"

"No, I have no memory of that..." Haseul answered sorrily. "Aine comes and goes..."

"Then we'll just have to keep an eye on who Haseul meets up with," Jungeun suggested. "Surely, one of them must be Aine."

Chaewon and Hyejoo glanced at each other as they both had the same idea. If Aine was not only a silvebeast but Haseul's master, then finding her should be their top priority when investigating the blanket from yesterday. It seems as though that this Aine woman was tied into everything they needed to do.

"Before we leave, is there anything else you can tell us about either topic?" Jinsoul asked.

"Chinhwa is cold...very cold," Haseul tried to describe, her voice gaining a happier tone before saying: "But Aine is very warm...I feel safe with her... If you are looking for her, just find someone who is warm. Beware anyone who is... extremely cold because they are perilous."

"We will keep that in mind, thank you," Jungeun smiled, nodding to the others as a sign they can leave.

"Thank you for your time," Jinsoul said as she along with Chaewon and Hyejoo left the dorm. 

"So, here's what we're about to do," the lunar witch started when they were back in the hallway. "I will talk to the council and a few friends to see if I figure out who Lee Chinhwa is. In the meantime, Hyejoo, you can start teaching Chaewon the elemental basics while the rest of us go investigate. As for the astrolabe... we'll wait until Heejin calms down until we continue with that. We're not abandoning the mission, just postponing it."

"That's fine," Chaewon nodded since she did not mind. Her mother did say to space out their work so that the council would not be suspicious. 

"And what about Aine?" Hyejoo questioned.

"We'll wait on that," Jinsoul decided. "Not that it isn't important but we have too much on our plate already. Plus, I think you have forgotten what Wednesday is."

"...Oh, right..."

"Isn't it a full moon on Wednesday?" Chaewon remembered, leading to the coven leader nodding. 

The full moon was a night that every witch at the age of fourteen or older had to remember. While some saw it as a time to get closer with their goddess and magic, it was often seen as a time to be cautious. The full moon had the power to put any witch at fourteen years old or older in a trance. This could cause them to ask strange, which could include being drunk-like and/or switch their personality. If that were to occur, that could cause them to be a target for hunters since they cannot think properly. In order to avoid this, witches have to stay indoors and not look at the full moon for more than five seconds.

"Since you're a new member of our coven, you'll be staying with us that night," Jinsoul told Chaewon. "I know you can handle it on your own but I think it might be a great day to bond since we'll be more emotional and vulnerable."

"Think of it as a sleepover," Hyejoo explained. "We do it every month. We usually just order food and watch movies all night but it's up to you."

"That sounds like fun!" Chaewon remarked excitedly. "I'll be there!"

"Great. I'll see you two soon," Jinsoul waved and walked down the hallway to the elevators.

"So, does that mean we...?"

"Yep, that Aine mystery is up to us," Hyejoo confirmed when her older sister had turned the corner. "Just keep an eye on Haseul for the time being. We have to learn what a silvebeast is and its origins before we'll have any clue of what to do next. This will be our little challenge."

"Sounds good to me!" Chaewon grinned, eager to get started. "So, what do we do first?"

"So, here's what we are about to do..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! If you read the tags, you already knew who Heejin's "secret lover" was so it shouldn't have been a surprise. I did mention in my last chaptered fic that Heejin and Hyunjin will have an emotional storyline, which you can already have hints of. I will say that their storyline is the reason for a good chunk of the tags so be cautious while reading. I will put warnings when we get there but it's fine for now. 
> 
> Based on Heejin's outburst, you already know it has something to do with her parents but you'll have to wait to see the details.
> 
> Also, a small "date" between Chaewon and Hyejoo! Now they finally decided to officially be friends, you'll see them be a bit open from now on. They'll come back to place again in a future chapters so look forward to that! 
> 
> And finally, you all got to meet Haseul! Honestly, we need to protect this girl because she's precious, I can't- You all know that I love giving Haseul wholesome storylines so expect nothing but cuteness out of her! 
> 
> You all will learn who is Aine is eventually so keep note of any small clues I'll be dropping in the future (although, I'm sure you all can guess even by this chapter alone ;))
> 
> Anyway, tell me your thoughts on the first chapter! I can't wait to read your predictions, hopes, and thoughts on this chapter and the rest of the fic!
> 
> > Updates every five days  
> > Insta: @hyesappho 
> 
> See you next time!


	5. 𝑽 - 𝑭𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝑴𝒐𝒐𝒏'𝒔 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚 - 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙙.

"So, how's it going with your roommate?" Jiwoo asked curiously when Chaewon sat next to her with a plate of food. "You've been neglecting us so I assume it's going well."

"Oh, it's going great!" Chaewon replied, starting to smile. "We're friends now and we talk to each other pretty often."

"Is that all you guys are?"

"Yes?" Chaewon nodded confusedly. "Why would we be more than that?"

"I was just hoping that since she's exactly your type and that you guys were having dates that maybe you guys were..."

"Well, you thought wrong," Chaewon chuckled. "Sure, she is my type and I enjoy spending time with her but I don't mind being just friends. I'm not looking for anything else. We're even going on a- um, 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘱 for a few days during the holidays."

"So you all are going on a trip together and you are not interested in dating?" 

"Um, we go on trips and we're just best friends."

"Yeah but it's different because we've known each other long enough to know there are no feelings," Jiwoo reminded her. "Plus, I'm nowhere near your type and I have a girlfriend so it doesn't count."

"Either way, the trip is not what you want to be."

"Aw, that's unfortunate..."

"What's unfortunate?" 

Two women came up to their table - one of them with short black hair and the other with long orange hair. 

"Babe, perfect timing!" Jiwoo exclaimed as the two sat down, kissing the short-haired woman briefly on the lips. "You have to help Chaewon realize a possible love interest that is so obvious!"

"Sooyoung, just ignore her," Chaewon sighed. "I've just been hanging out with this new friend and now she thinks that we should get married."

"I mean, you guys should..."

"Jiwoo, stop pestering her," Sooyoung chuckled. "If she just wants to be friends with them, then we can't change that."

"Aww..." Jiwoo pouted. "Fine..."

"Anyway, speaking of friends, I wanted to introduce you guys to a new friend of mine," Sooyoung started, referring to the orange-haired woman next to her. "This is Kahei, another junior here like me. She just moved here from Hong Kong and transferred to this university. 

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you," Kahei spoke up, smiling softly. "I'm sorry if I interrupted your conversation."

"Woah, you're really at speaking Korean!" Jiwoo praised. "And, no you didn't! Don't worry about it!"

"Thank you," Kahei said before her eyes wandered to Chaewon. "That's a pretty necklace you have on."

"Oh, thanks!" Chaewon grinned. "I'm surprised you noticed."

"It's hard to miss such an intricate design."

"So, tell us about yourself!" Jiwoo encouraged. "How is it being here in South Korea compared to where you used to live?"

"Well..."

Chaewon listened silently to the conversation, hearing everything the new student had to say. However, the longer the faery witch was in her presence, the more she realized that this girl had a strange presence about her. Chaewon could gradually recognize the aura surrounding Kahei, meaning that she was non-human just like her. She could be a witch but something just seemed off about this aura, as if it was too familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.

"I hope you enjoy your time here!" Jiwoo told her finally. "There's a lot of interesting things you can do so I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself."

"This place is very interesting," Kahei agreed, with Chaewon not missing the way she was focusing on her. "And I'm sure I'll be seeing around here. I've taken interest in a few people already and you all are just as special."

"Aw, shucks! I didn't think I was special but thanks! You can speak to us anytime you would like!"

"I definitely will," Kahei smiled, glancing at Chaewon one last time before facing a different direction. 

Chaewon did not want to assume anything but she could tell that there was something different about this person. Whether it be her aura or the way she focused on Chaewon more than anyone else, she knew that Kahei was not as normal as she attempted to be perceived.

***

"...And then all you need to do is get the average and you're done!"

"Man, that was difficult..." Chaewon exhaled as she wrote down the answer to the final math question. "But thanks for your help!"

"No problem!" Hyunjin told her back. "Also, you said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Yeah, I was just curious," Chaewon nodded, glancing at the door of the study room before continuing. "Is Heejin feeling alright?"

"Uh, yeah, mostly," Hyunjin answered, confused about where this was going. "Why do you ask?"

"I can't completely explain but some things were said at our coven meeting about her parents and she lost it. I guessed that since she looked upset that something was going wrong with her family. I don't want to be nosy but-"

"No, you're right," Hyunjin interrupted. "I can't say everything because it's not my place to tell but you guys should avoid talking about her parents. It's a triggering subject for her since her parents weren't...the most supportive, to put it vaguely."

"I understand and I'll tell the others about that," Chaewon assured. "You seem to be close with Heejin. It's great that she has someone like you to care for her."

"Yeah, I guess so..." 

"How did you two get so close anyway?" Chaewon asked. "Heejin doesn't seem like someone to make many friends."

"Well, let's just say that our connection started quite a long time ago," Hyunjin replied. "Heejin doesn't try to make friends but she truly is kind when you get to know her. I think her past causes her to be reserved and cautious, which I don't blame her for. We've known each other since childhood so that's probably why."

"Huh, and here I thought that you two were just casual acquaintances."

"Yeah, we try to be perceived that way, for personal reasons..."

Suddenly, the two of them were interrupted by Hyunjin's phone ringing. She picked up her phone and looked at the caller id. Hyunjin stared at the screen for a few seconds and hesitantly answered the call, glancing at her friend.

"Hey, what's up?" Hyunjin spoke into the phone. "Yeah, uh, I'm coming back in a few minutes. Do you want me to bring anything?... Okay, I can get that... No, I'm fine, I'm just with Chaewon..."

Chaewon could tell that her friend was acting a bit strange. It was as if Hyunjin was watching the way she spoke out of nervousness like she was hyperaware of the blue-haired woman next to her.

"Alright, I'll see you soon. Bye."

"Who was that?" Chaewon asked inquisitively. 

"Heejin. She wanted to know when I was coming back so I should be going now," Hyunjin realized, gathering her journal and getting out of her chair. "We can hang out the day after tomorrow since I know tomorrow is a... sensitive night."

"Yeah, that's fine! See you!" Chaewon said goodbye as Hyunjin left the study room. 

Just as the succubus left, the faery witch received a text message.

𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘺𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘰 🐺

> 𝘪 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘪 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶

> 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬?

𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘺𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘰 🐺

> 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵! 𝘪𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸! 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴!

𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘺𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘰 🐺

> 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭! 𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯

> 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰, 𝘪 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦

𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘺𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘰 🐺

> 𝘠𝘌𝘚 𝘪 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯! 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴!

𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘺𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘰 🐺

> 𝘩𝘢𝘩𝘢 𝘯𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮

> 𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 ❤️

Chaewon's lips stretched into a smile when she saw the final text. Usually, if this was anyone else, she would not think of it too much. But considering how her roommate never used emojis or seemed too interested while texting, the change was noticed and made the inside of her chest flutter.

Chaewon left the library and headed towards the dorm buildings. While she was walking, she happened to spot a shorter woman who looked to be lost, looking at her phone and all of the buildings with perplexity. The woman looked almost like a child, with their colorful and oversized clothes along with her brown hair being pulled into two pigtails. 

"Oh! Excuse me!" the short woman called out to her. "Do you know where this place is?"

"Um, yes, I actually do!" Chaewon nodded when looked at the place on the phone. "That department is in the Business Center, which is the building on the end there. Just go to the third floor and turn right."

"Okay! Thanks!" The short woman beamed. "Say, you seem quite familiar! What's your name?"

"I do?" Chaewon's eyes widened. "Well, my name is Chaewon. You?"

"Yeojin! Also, your name is super pretty! And so is your hair - the blue really suits you!"

"Aw, thanks!"

"No problem! I should let get going but I want to give you something first as a thank you!"

"Oh, you don't have to-"

Chaewon stopped speaking when Yeojin took her hand. She then dropped a warm object into her hand, which evidently appeared out of nowhere. When Yeojin pulled her hands away, Chaewon was able to see the pink stone that she could identify as rose quartz.

"Just a gift that will help you in the near future!" Yeojin grinned, a hidden meaning behind her words. "See you soon!"

"Wait-"

Before Chaewon could stop her, Yeojin had already walked away and ignored her calls. The faery witch looked down at her hand with utter confusion. She did not have time to analyze the strange woman's aura but she had to be a witch based on this evidence. For some reason, Chaewon knew she would bump into Yeojin again. But for now, she simply put the crystal in her jacket pocket.

"Took you long enough," Hyejoo said as Chaewon came into her room. "I was about to eat all the popcorn without you."

"Wow, how mean," Chaewon pouted, causing Hyejoo to chuckle. "Also, your room looks nice!"

Hyejoo's room had the opposite aesthetic of Chaewon's room. While the faery witch tended to have more pastel and minimalist style, the dragonic witch had a dark and grunge style. Most of the things in the room were a shade of black, grey, and red, which fit her personality and clothing style quite well. 

"Thanks," Hyejoo appreciated as she placed the bowl of popcorn on the table next to them. "Now, let's start with something basic. Do you know about elemental magic?"

"I've heard of it but I'm not well-informed about the topic."

"Alright, then we'll just mostly talk about it for now," Hyejoo decided with the two of them sitting on the dragonic witch's bed. "You'll need to choose at least one to focus on. There are four main types of elements, which is water, air, earth, and fire. There is also a fifth one, which is spirit but usually only a few witches can master that. You have to be blessed in order to have a connection with spirits so we just focus on the main four."

Chaewon understood, listening carefully to what she was saying.

"You can choose which one of the four but I think it's best to go with the element that ties in with your witch type. For example, I focus on fire since it aligns with dragons but also earth because of my interest in animals. I mostly use earth though since fire can get a bit out of control. Heejin focuses on water but can dabble in every element, Jinsoul uses air, and Jungeun focuses on earth. I'm guessing that since you work with the fae that earth would fit you best but that's up to you."

"I wouldn't mind doing earth but I also think air sounds pretty cool too," Chaewon chose eagerly. "But I can focus on earth for now!"

"Great! Maybe my sister can teach you about air then after you get comfortable with this earth," Hyejoo suggested. "I think what we'll do is get you to level three with earth, level four with air, and then level five with healing. Then you can be fully ready to join us. I'm not sure how long this will take since we have a lot on our plate but I'm sure you can still help us even with a lower level."

"So, what do I have studying in order to level up with the element?" Chaewon asked. "Is it just learning spells with that element?"

"Basically," Hyejoo confirmed. "With earth, you need to focus more on manipulating nature and understanding its inhabitants. Since you seem to work well with faeries, that is a great place to start. Once you do that, you should reach level three eventually."

"Sounds like we have a lot to do..."

"Yeah but as long as the council keeps sending out other witches on missions for a while, we should have a bit of a break."

"Hopefully..."

"But once you get really good at earth magic, you can do something like this."

Hyejoo took a leaf from one of the plants in her room and placed it in the palm of her hand. Suddenly, the leaf began to grow and contort into an entirely new form. Within ten seconds, the leaf had turned into a white camellia flower.

"Wow..." Chaewon gasped. "How did you do that?"

"It's complicated but you'll learn later," Hyejoo chuckled at the reaction. "It's a spell that can turn any piece of nature like a leaf or a strand of grass into a flower that represented the emotion of the caster."

"Is that so?..." Chaewon giggled, looking at the flower once again.

"What's so funny?"

"Well, if the flower is supposed to represent your emotions, then the choice of a white camellia is... interesting," Chaewon elaborated, starting to get flustered. "Because a white camellia flower represents that you're telling someone that they're adorable..."

"U-Uh," Hyejoo began to blush. "Good catch, um..."

"Well, thank you," Chaewon grinned, laughing at the response.

"Right, so, anyway, you have some reviewing to do," Hyejoo rapidly changed the subject. "I have a book that you can review for now. Just take your time and don't overwhelm yourself."

"Understood!" Chaewon nodded confidently. 

"Great. Now that that's over with..." Hyejoo took the bowl of popcorn and picked up a handful, putting it all in her mouth. "I can enjoy my delicious popcorn."

"Hey! Save some for me!" Chaewon reached out to grab the bowl only to be stopped by Hyejoo moving the bowl away at the last second. "Hyejoo!"

"Fine, fine," Hyejoo supposedly gave in but only showed Chaewon one piece of popcorn. "Here."

"You have to be joking," Chaewon deadpanned. 

"Nope! Now if you want more, then you're gonna have to-"

"Easy," Chaewon said as used her magic to levitate several pieces of popcorn, throwing it in her mouth. She ended up carrying the whole bowl out from behind Hyejoo and placed it gently in her lap.

"You're no fun." Hyejoo groaned.

"Says the girl who hates having friends and frowns all the time," Chaewon raised an eyebrow, levitating the same piece of popcorn Hyejoo offered her. "Want some?"

"Okay, you have a point..." Hyejoo agreed before opening her mouth, allowed for the faery witch to feed her. "We can go over what you've learned next Saturday when we met up."

"So you're gonna be like my teacher?" Chaewon teased. "Well then, Ms. Son, I will make sure I study hard just for you."

"Please don't call me that."

"But what if I did anyway?"

"Then I'll take back the part about being your friend."

"Okay, okay," Chaewon chuckled while standing on her feet, handing the remaining popcorn to Hyejoo. "I have a bit of homework to do but I'll see you tomorrow for the sleepover at your house, right?"

"Yep, I'll see you then," Hyejoo nodded as they both said goodbye, with the faery witch closing the door behind her. 

Now that she was alone, Hyejoo breathed out a massive sigh. Something about Chaewon made her heart feel some strangely warm emotions. It had only been under a month and she felt she had known the faery witch for a long time. When tomorrow came around, the full moon would certainly make her feel more open with their feelings, which was what Hyejoo was afraid of. With the uncertainty of how she felt about Chaewon, Hyejoo was worried that she was going to say something she would regret later. 

Just as she thought about this, Hyejoo's eyes wandered to her bedside table where the card from weeks ago laid. She gulped when she remembered its prophecy and wondered if she was anxious about what was slowly coming true.

***

"Food, check! Drinks, check! Movie, check!" Jungeun noted as she looked around her girlfriend's room. "You have an extra sleeping bag for Chaewon, right?"

"Yeah, I bought it yesterday," Jinsoul nodded, still emersed in school work at her desk. 

"Perfect! Then we're ready!" Jungeun declared before walking over to Jinsoul, wrapping her arms around the older's neck to hug her. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired and stressed out but I'm overall okay," Jinsoul sighed. "The month is almost over but I already feel like I need a vacation..."

"You need to have a break - you deserve it," Jungeun agreed. "If we weren't so busy then maybe we could. But I guess we'll have to wait until the semester is over."

"It's fine, I'm not complaining or anything. I just need to prioritize better," Jinsoul concluded. "I wasn't able to find anything about the Lee Chinhwa guy but I'll look into that further this weekend. As for Chaewon, I actually was able to learn more than I expected. Turns out her birth mother isn't as good at covering her tracks...just my parents used to be."

"And what did you find?"

"A few things. Even though the familiar is proof enough, Calliope is alive and travels around pretty frequently. However, she isn't in this plane of existence but that's on purpose. I see why we need that astrolabe because that's the only way to have a better understanding of where she is. Even if we're on different planes, the night sky is the only thing that seems to have a semblance. And would mean that say 𝘪𝘧 the council was hiding anything, that would be the likely place to uncover it."

"Then we have a work cut out for us," Jungeun chuckled. "See? No wonder Chaewon's mother wanted you for the job."

"It's only because of my parents' history with her," Jinsoul reminded. "Even though I'm strongly against the purpose, I am intrigued. Maybe if we find Chaewon's mother, then I can get some answers."

"Speaking of which, we'll get to see Chaewon and Hyejoo hanging out together tonight."

"Yep, I know. I can finally get to watch them up close."

"Do you still want me to give them the drink?"

"Yes, just a bit," Jinsoul nodded. "I'll keep an eye on them throughout the night. It probably won't take effect for a few weeks but we have to make sure that nothing goes wrong. Although, we won't see the true impact until we go through Calliope's mission so we should be patient."

"Alrighty!"

"Knock knock."

Just then, Hyejoo came into the room with Chaewon close behind. 

"Well, if it isn't Hyejoo and her blue-haired cutie," Jungeun teased. "You two are here early."

"We didn't have any more classes in the afternoon so we decided that we might as well come here," Hyejoo explained. "Is Heejin still coming?"

"Yep! I talked to her earlier and she's coming at four-thirty."

"Oh, and, I think we shouldn't talk about Heejin's family," Chaewon suggested genuinely. "Hyunjin told me that it's a triggering topic so I don't want to disrespect that."

"Oh, really? I never really thought it was that bad," Jungeun frowned. "I mean, I know she doesn't like her parents but I didn't think it would touch her that much."

"And Hyunjin told you this?" Jinsoul asked with skepticism.

"Yes, yesterday," Chaewon stated. "Why?"

"No, it's just... I don't know why Heejin would tell a succubus her personal business but not us. I thought they just knew each other and were roommates, nothing more."

"Maybe they're good friends!" Jungeun inferred. "Sometimes, it's easier to tell some people a touchy subject more than others. Either way, it's none of our business if she doesn't want to say anything."

"Yeah but a succubus..."

"Is there something wrong with that?" Chaewon questioned. "I mean, does the species even matter?"

"Somewhat, yes," Jinsoul claimed. "I know you grew up in a pretty diverse society but you have to learn that not every species is trustworthy. Succubi are usually pretty... devious beings. I do think that Hyunjin is more reasonable but that doesn't mean I'll tell her everything. Plus, she also has a human side so..."

"So? That doesn't mean she's conniving or rude," Chaewon argued, defending her friend. "I've been friends with Hyunjin for years and I've been able to talk to her more than anyone else. Just because there are certain stereotypes, doesn't mean that they're true. I mean, we're stereotyped as ruthless and murderers but are we? No. So you can't go around and do the same things to others."

Jinsoul sat there speechless for a few seconds. She then stared at Chaewon intensely, looked her up and down, and said:

"You're just like your mother."

Chaewon looked around nervously. "Is that a good or-"

"That's a good thing," Jinsoul interjected while standing up. "I was beginning to think you were just a pushover."

Jinsoul walked past her and left the bedroom, shutting the door and leaving everyone else confused.

"I don't understand my sister sometimes..." Hyejoo sighed. "Whatever. Let's just enjoy ourselves."

"Before that, I wanted you guys to try a new tea I just created!" Jungeun offered, picking up two cups on the table. 

"This better not be dangerous or weird..." Hyejoo warned cautiously. "Last time, a high-pitched voice for hours."

Jungeun was known even when she was in witch boarding school. She was obsessed with creating new drinks and potions - some normal and others having bizarre effects. Even before she presented as a green witch, she still had the skill of making the strangest of concoctions.

"Don't worry, this one is harmless and has no effect!" Jungeun claimed as the two of them reluctantly took the drink. "It's just some ferns and rosemary with sprinkles of jasmine."

Chaewon looked down at the cup and gulped when she saw the mysterious purple liquid. Eventually, she inhaled sharply and took a few sips, leading Hyejoo to follow suit. When they finished, they paused for a few seconds to check if they felt any different but luckily felt no initial change.

"See? No harm," Jungeun giggled. "How does it taste?"

"Not bad. It tastes pretty sweet but I kinda enjoy it," Hyejoo shrugged, surprised that it seemed to be a normal drink. 

"Same, I actually like it!" Chaewon agreed. 

"I told you there was nothing weird. You guys can drink it all if you'd like," Jungeun offered, pointed to the bottle on the table. "It's all yours!"

"Uh-huh..." Hyejoo gave the green witch a cynical glare. "Thanks..."

If this was anyone else, Hyejoo would have been grateful for this offer. But considering the past with Jungeun's drinks, she was not quick to simply accept it. Hyejoo could tell that the blonde had ulterior motives but she could not decipher what it was yet.

By five in the evening, everyone had arrived just in time before the full moon began to rise. Heejin got there about thirty minutes beforehand, looking slightly disheveled and tense. Even when they were sitting back and watching a movie, she would often be distracted on her phone. Chaewon appeared to be the only one who was worried about this so she would have to investigate on her own.

"Heejin?"

"What?" Heejin looked up from her phone and noticed Chaewon sitting next to her on the floor. "Oh, it's just you."

"Are you okay? You look kinda out of it..."

"Yeah, I'm good," Heejin replied almost too quickly. "I'm just exhausted, that's all."

"Okay but... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what happened the other day..."

"What?..." Heejin stared at her with astonishment. "What are you apologizing for?"

"Because I realized that we were insensitive," Chaewon elaborated. "You clearly have a terrible relationship with your parents and we failed to recognize that. I don't want anyone to get hurt or feel uncomfortable because of any part of this mission. We can find other ways to get the astrolabe but we can't ignore your feelings."

"Uh, thank you," Heejin appreciated, still in disbelief. "You weren't the one who made me aggravated and leave."

"But I was the reason the topic was brought to begin with," Chaewon argued. "So I needed to say sorry."

"It's fine, though, I'm not upset about that anymore," Heejin claimed before staying quiet for a few seconds. "You're close friends with Hyunjin, right?"

"Yeah, I guess we're pretty close."

"Then I assume that you like her despite the fact that she's a succubus. How come?"

"Um, well, it just doesn't matter to me," Chaewon responded sincerely. "I've grown up with the belief that the species you are doesn't define you and no one should shame you for that. Hyunjin is a kind-hearted person so I won't judge her because she's part-succubus and part-human. No matter if you're a witch, human, or any other species - even hybrid, like Hyunjin is - I will only judge you on your character."

"...Then say, hypothetically speaking, you found out that one of your friends was dating someone outside of their species," Heejin started, talking slowly. "What about that?"

"The same thing still applies. I think that everyone deserves the chance to love whoever they wanted, as long as that doesn't hurt anyone. So, if that were to happen, I would support them wholeheartedly."

Heejin's eyes partly lit up at the statement like she was both amazed and hopeful. By the way she reacted, Chaewon had a slight feeling this wasn't just a made-up scenario.

"Are you dating anyone who's not a witch?"

"Huh? No, of course not," Heejin denied. "Like I said, just hypothetical."

"Hmm, alright," Chaewon said but then added: "Then let's say that hypothetically you did. I would support you no matter what. I know we don't know each other that well but I want everyone to be happy."

"Thanks," Heejin smiled partially. "But that's not what's going on so..."

"Like I said, just hypothetical," Chaewon chuckled cheekily before getting up off the floor. "Enjoy your night."

"Yeah, you two," Heejin waved as she walked away.

Even though Chaewon did not know for sure, she had a feeling of what was going on between Heejin and Hyunjin. That time at their dorm, the inconsistency on how people viewed their relationship, the way they were careful on how they talk about one another - it made much more sense after this conversation. Chaewon would not say anything yet but she would wait to see how her theory unfolded.

"Chaewon! Let me show you something!" Hyejoo called out from near the door. 

"What is it?" Chaewon asked as she approached. 

"It's in my room," Hyejoo opened the door and led the faery witch down the hallway.

When they entered the dragonic witch's bedroom, Chaewon was amazed by how massive it was. It was about the size of one of their university's seminar rooms with a high ceiling covered with renaissance murals. There was a bookshelf on the wall next to the door and indoor plants near the back. Unlike her room at the university, this room had a more colorful palette that included more blues and purples. 

"Wow, your bedroom is so beautiful," Chaewon complimented. "How did you get a bigger room than your sister?"

"Jinsoul used to have a room like this but she turned it into her office," Hyejoo explained. "Most of the bedrooms in this house have this design."

"Why does this house have some many rooms?" Chaewon asked in awe. "I feel like I'd get lost if I lived here."

"Audette used to use this place as a way to teach teenage witches and train them as apprentices, which is how we were introduced to her. Now it's just home for the three of us, along with a few maids and her family members when they come by."

"Ah, the rooms do like they could be classrooms," Chaewon noticed. "So, what did you want to show me?"

"Come over here."

Hyejoo brought Chaewon to the bookshelf and pulled out a photo album. They went over to the bed before opening the book.

"I know that you have an interest in faeries so I thought that since we're here, I thought would show you something cool," Hyejoo said as she opened the photo album and picked out one of the photos. "This is one of the first times I saw a group of faeries. It happened when I was around four years old and I saw it with an old friend of the same age. One of my cousins took this photo for me."

Chaewon looked at the photo and noticed the group of small faeries nearby a tree. They looked to be in the middle of a dance due to their arms and legs being stretched out dramatically.

"I know where this is," Chaewon recognized. "This is the Red Moon Dance Festival, right? I haven't had the opportunity to go since I was little."

The Red Moon Dance Festival was a special day for faeries where they celebrate their day of creation and praise the goddesses for their ongoing protection. It was like the faeries' version of Thanksgiving but with much more dancing and music.

"Yep! You've been there before?"

"Yeah, a few times," Chaewon nodded. "The first time was when I was really young and with a friend. I went there a few times after that but after around eleven, I would stay home with my new family and celebrate there."

"Well, do you want to see something amazing?" 

Hyejoo took the photo to a desk and placed it inside a clear container. She took out a jar that was halfway filled with sparkly blueish liquid and pour it into the container, fully submerging the picture. 

"Have a look," Hyejoo motioned her hand to have the blue-haired woman come over.

When Chaewon got there, Hyejoo drew a symbol in midair that was directed at the photo. All of a sudden, the image began to glow and a string of light shot out from the center. Seconds later, there were tiny holographic faeries on top of the water and began to dance as if it was continuing the scene in the picture. The whole display made it seem like they were watching the dance in real life.

"How did you do that??" Chaewon gasped. 

"Well, it was mostly my cousin's doing but basically it's because of the type of photo," Hyejoo clarified. "She used a camera that could capture scenes that less than a minute and store them in a photo. Then you just soak it in moon water and cast a quick spell."

"But isn't the water going to ruin the photo?"

"Nope," Hyejoo took the photo out and showed how it was completely dry. "The photo is covered by an invisible shield that keeps it dry. You can tell by the shiny and sparkly coating."

"This is so stunning! I've never seen anything like this," Chaewon said in awe. "Do you have more photos like this?"

"I know right? I have a few more in the album but most were lost when our house was raided," Hyejoo answered. "I wish I could get that camera but now that my cousin is gone, I don't know where it is. It could've been stolen for all I know."

"Maybe we can look for another one!" Chaewon suggested earnestly. "Even if your cousin's camera is lost, I'm sure that there has to be more somewhere. You're so invested in photography so imagine using that camera instead? You can capture so many amazing scenes in different realms!"

"You really think so?" Hyejoo looked at her with hope in her eyes. 

"Yeah, why not?" Chaewon chuckled. "We could start by going to where your cousin lived if it wasn't on Earth. If not there, then maybe we can look around any place your cousin has gone to. I'm sure we can find something!"

"You're right...thank you," Hyejoo smiled gently. "Maybe we could! Using that camera instead of the one I usually use would be an amazing change."

"Exactly!" Chaewon nodded repeatedly. "You know, the next Red Moon Dance Festival is during winter break. If we are going on that trip together, then we could go during that time!"

"That sounds great to me," Hyejoo agreed. "Hopefully, we can find the camera by then."

"With the two of us working together, I'm sure we can!"

"True. Also, I just wanted to say..." Hyejoo started hesitantly. "I don't know why you're so interested in me and keeping me company but I appreciate it nonetheless. With my sister being busy and everyone else having their own issues, I guess it's nice to have someone I can somewhat related to."

"I don't know why either to be honest," Chaewon giggled. "The moment I saw you, you just seemed so familiar but I don't know from where. So I wanted to get closer and figure out why."

"And did you?"

"Not yet. But my instincts are never wrong so I just have to get to know you better," Chaewon claimed. "And now that you're not as grouchy as before, maybe I can do that."

"I'm not that grouchy," Hyejoo huffed. "But I feel the same way. Jinsoul and I have been to different realms for years so maybe we have met. I have terrible memory anyway unless it's traumatic or seriously important."

"Well, we have a lot of time to jog that memory," Chaewon joked, creating a smile on Hyejoo's face.

"Yeah, I guess we do..." 

"Ooh, what's going on here?" Audette peeked into the bedroom with a cheeky smirk. "Hyejoo, I was wondering when you were going to bring home your girl. Didn't think you would bring Chaewon to bed this earlier."

"Shut up," Hyejoo rolled her eyes while Chaewon started to get flustered. "Chaewon is not 𝘮𝘺 girl. She's just a friend."

"That's what your sister said while she kept sneaking Jungeun in her room," Audette reminded, still unconvinced. "It will happen eventually~"

"You're so annoying..."

"That's my job, honey," Audette winked before leaving and closing the door.

"Sorry about her," Hyejoo sighed. "I told you that she's weird."

"No worries! I'm sure we have friends or family members like that," Chaewon reassured. "Besides, we know we're just friends so it doesn't matter what others think."

"Yeah, I'll try to ignore her but living with her these days is just so... frustrating."

"Then how about we tease her and stay in here for a while?" Chaewon suggested smugly. "We could look at more of those photos you have!"

"Sure, why not? It's not like watching Jinsoul and Jungeun constantly flirting is any better," Hyejoo shrugged before grabbing the photo album once again.

***

Heejin stepped into the bathroom and got out her phone, pulling up her contacts. Before picking the phone number to dial, she paused for half a minute as she tried to shake off her nerves. After a few deep breaths, she pressed on the contact and waited anxiously for the person to answer.

"𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

"I've been busy but that's not important right now," Heejin spoke sternly into the phone. "I'm coming to see you this Saturday for dinner."

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦? 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘶𝘴..."

"No, I wasn't," Heejin lied, making an aggravated face. "I told you - I'm busy. You can ask my grandmother about that. But I'm offering to spend an evening with you but under one condition."

"𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴."

"My friends are coming with me. If you don't let them come, then the dinner is off. That's final."

"𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦. 𝘈𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘶𝘱."

"Fine by me," Heejin agreed. "I'll see you then. And please be respectful to my friends."

"𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭. 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

"Whatever," Heejin ended the call instantly and exhaled from relief. 

All that she hoped was that she would not regret this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Another three characters are introduced: Kahei, Sooyoung, and Yeojin. They will show up again as they both have some unique importance. We also have a bit more information on Heejin and Hyunjin's relationship as well as Heejin's past. Soon, you all will learn more information on those two topics because both have some correlation. 
> 
> Luckily, Heejin ended up deciding to meet with her parents due to her conversation with Chaewon. Chaewon isn't like a lot of non-human who are afraid of certain beings. Coming from a background where she lived with differing species, she doesn't judge anyone based of that; I think you can tell based on her friends. This truly touched Heejin and now they're getting the astrolabe. Expect that for next chapter!
> 
> Chaewon and Hyejoo are as wholesome and supportive as always! Their bond is growing now that they're friends. Slowly, you'll see them getting closer as the chapters go by!
> 
> Also, ONE MORE THING: Lately, I've been pretty stressed and my mental health has been taking a tumble. Even though I am a few chapters ahead, university and just my overall mental state has slowly taken its  
> toll. So, the next update will be in 10 days instead of 5 (so on Feb 24 instead of Feb 19). I've been thinking about this and I think it's good to take more breaks. I'm sorry for those who were excited for Chapter 6. But I promise that it will be worth the wait!
> 
> Additionally, I had a Valentine's Day one shot that was supposed to be posted but it might be a day or two late. I might be able to post it within 24 hours but I'm not sure yet. Again, I'm sorry that I'll be posting it late but I'll make it even better as a result!
> 
> Anyway, tell me your thoughts on the first chapter! I can't wait to read your predictions, hopes, and thoughts on this chapter and the rest of the fic!
> 
> > Updates every five days  
> > Insta: @hyesappho 
> 
> See you next time!


	6. 𝑽𝑰 - 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝙨𝙢𝙤𝙠𝙮 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙯 - 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤'𝙨 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩.

"This place looks ancient," Hyejoo remarked as she and her sister stepped into the old castle. "It has to be at least a few centuries old."

"It used to be owned by an eighteenth-century royal family of this realm before they moved so that observation is correct," Jinsoul agreed. "Now, let's make this quick. It's getting late and we have morning classes tomorrow."

"Fine by me," Hyejoo nodded as they walked further into the building.

The siblings continued until they entered the library, exactly what they were looking for. Since they still had to figure out who Lee Chinhwa is, it was best to go and do some research. After asking around, Jinsoul was about to figure out that the guy had been seen around since the seventeenth century, meaning that he was non-human. It seemed like he had targeted many witches on his own before laying low for centuries, only rearing his head a few months ago. The reason for why he was coming back was unknown so that was about to them to discover.

"Let's look around," Jinsoul instructed. "The council said to look towards the left side so let's start from the far left and work towards the middle."

Together, the two of them dusted off the books and glanced at the covers. If the title looked like it could provide the information they need, they would put the book in their satchel and take it home. 

"The witches back then surely loved their literature," Hyejoo commented as she looked at her thirtieth book and noticed how much farther they had to go. "But I guess that's why we worship them so much."

"They were apt and ingenious, so I expected a library this size," Jinsoul stated while putting a book in the satchel. "It explains why Heejin is talented when relating to magic. Her ancestors were incredibly knowledgeable."

"True, true."

"Anyway, I have to ask you something," Jinsoul changed the topic. "What do you feel about Chaewon?"

"Uh, why are you asking?" Hyejoo questioned, slightly annoyed. "Why ever since Chaewon came into the picture that you, Jungeun, and Audette care so much? What does us being friends have to be of any concern to you all?"

"I can't tell you why yet until we go deeper into Calliope's quest," Jinsoul claimed. "But you won't understand that yet so you'll have to trust me."

"I don't know if I can trust you with this," Hyejoo admitted. "You've been distancing yourself from me for months. You keep all of these secrets and patronize me when I ask any questions about what you're doing. I'm not a child anymore and I deserve to be as involved as you are."

"It's not that I'm trying to patronize you," Jinsoul denied with a sigh. "Believe me - I will tell you everything soon. I just don't want to tell you lies or half-truths because even I don't everything yet. I just know that our parents and Chaewon's birth mother hid a lot more secrets than we were led to believe. That's what I've been working for months and that's why I agreed to work with Chaewon."

"Secrets?" Hyejoo repeated. "So you're thinking that if we learn where Calliope is and what she's been doing, that we can learn what our parents were doing and why our family was targeted?"

"You got it exactly," Jinsoul nodded. "Once I finish putting all the puzzle pieces together, I will tell you and even Chaewon everything. But right now, I don't want you to believe in something that isn't true and vice versa."

"But what does my bond with Chaewon have to do with any of that?"

"I can't tell you why, I'm sorry," Jinsoul refused to explain. "That will affect the validity and sincerity of your relationship with her. I'm not saying that you two should date because that's not my place. I'm telling you to act natural and be mindful of your feelings."

"Alright, I believe you," Hyejoo finally said. "To answer your question, we are just friends. We hang out every Saturday but all of our feelings are platonic."

"Okay, I just wanted to know," Jinsoul understood. "Let's just continue searching."

Hyejoo silently agreed and continued with the next shelf. As she glanced through the titles, she noticed a book cover that caught her interest. The title was called "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯" with the same design as on the blanket in the store. Hyejoo subtly looked at her sister and slid the book into her backpack before continuing with the task at hand. If this book contained the information she was hoping for, then she and Chaewon could benefit from this.

"Hyejoo?" Jinsoul spoke up a while later, gaining her younger sister's attention. "I'm sorry for disregarding you lately. I have been busy but that doesn't mean I should be acting like you aren't even there. Even though we see each other all the time, I dismiss you and that was wrong. I promise I'll try to be more open and work on our relationship better."

"It's okay. I completely understand," Hyejoo forgave. "I know that you're busy these days for a good reason. You're our coven leader and you're graduating this school year - on top of all the work you have to do outside of uni. I just miss having long conversations with you and spending more than five minutes with you besides work."

"I miss that too," Jinsoul looked at her with sincerity. "I remember before I started to be serious with searching for hunters that we were so close. But now, I guess that has changed."

"Well, we used to depend on each other to survive but now that we are comfortable, we have time for other things," Hyejoo recognized. "We already have our own separate interests. Plus, you're going to graduate in less than a year and then we'll probably be more distant outside of the coven. You're planning on working more with the council, right? And then you already have a girlfriend that I'm pretty sure you're going to create a permanent love bond with. So at that point, I don't know what will happen to us..."

Jinsoul sighed somberly because all of that was the truth. Ever since their parents had been killed, their bond as sisters grew tremendously. Before they were able to live with Audette, they would travel around in order to find a place to live since none of the family members they knew of were alive. Jinsoul acted more like a mother than a sister and took care of Hyejoo even at the young age of nine. When it was time for Hyejoo to present, she made sure to find the ingredients to make the ceremonial bath for her. Everything her older sister did was out of genuine love and that was a fact that the dragonic witch would always appreciate greatly.

But a few years ago, that strong bond slowly began to show some cracks. When Jinsoul started to focus more on handling hunters, that caused her to be busier and would often lead to her burying herself in her office. Gradually, everything she would talk about was about her work. Additionally, even though Jungeun did not directly correlate with these issues, it was a representation of their future. Once Jinsoul was to graduate, she would have her own place in a realm close to the council. The coven would be their only connection, which would only perpetuate the idea that work was getting in the way of what they had.

"I don't know what will happen in the future but I will make sure that we will remain close," Jinsoul claimed. "I can't imagine you not being in life outside of the coven. We'll work on our relationship and try to communicate better. I promise that I won't allow us to drift apart."

"I agree. Maybe we should start by just hanging out in my room?" Hyejoo suggested. "We could just watch a movie or two and maybe talk for a bit? I'm not sure when you'll be free but I am ready anytime."

"We could try this weekend," Jinsoul offered. "I'll have to shift some work around but I can still do it."

"I'd like that, thanks," Hyejoo smiled brightly.

"You shouldn't be thanking me. This is something we should be doing more often that you shouldn't have to ask for."

"I'm still thanking you anyway," Hyejoo appreciated. "This is probably the longest, not work-related conversation we've had in a long time."

"You're right," Jinsoul nodded. "We should have more of these."

"We should..."

"Hyejoo?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you," Jinsoul said with a smile and her authentic eyes fixed on Hyejoo. "I just want you to remember that."

"I love you too," Hyejoo said back, sharing in the smile.

***

"Wait, you're serious?" Jungeun's eyes widened as she stared at Heejin incredulously. "We're actually getting your parent's astrolabe?"

"Shh, quiet down!" Heejin demanded with a hushed voice, glancing at the lunchroom full of students. "Yes, we are. This Saturday night, we're going to have dinner with my parents, which gives us the opportunity to use it."

"What finally convinced you?" Hyejoo asked keenly. "Usually, you're very adamant and never change your decision."

"I don't and I planned on letting you handle this issue on your own," Heejin claimed but added while looking at Chaewon: "A conversation with someone surprised me yesterday. Because of her kindness and willingness to open-minded, I've changed my mind."

"Wait, really?" Chaewon spoke up with big eyes. "I wasn't trying to convince you though."

"That might be true but the conversation was...reassuring for me," Heejin smiled, the brightest that the faery witch had seen from the cosmic witch. "So, I'm willing to do you a favor just this once."

"So then we're going to meet your parents on Saturday evening then?" Jinsoul asked for clarification. Even though they had seen her parents before due to their high status, they never had a conversation beyond polite greetings. Since Heejin rarely went home, the three of them never had the chance to. 

"Yes, and we're staying overnight," Heejin confirmed. "Even though we'll be having dinner, please don't ask them any inquisitory or controversial questions. My parents are easily offended and it could create a bad impression of you. They're already pretty indifferent about me constantly being around you guys. Just enjoy the dinner, answer any questions they ask vaguely - especially if it's about me, use the astrolabe after they go to bed, and leave first thing in the morning. Nothing more than that."

"That's fine as long we can finally meet them!" Jungeun told her. "Although, it seems like you're not excited."

"No, not in the slightest," Heejin groaned. "I wish there was another way to do this other than talking to them. But, hopefully, the whole dinner will be quick."

"We'll make sure to not drag it out," Hyejoo promised. "We're just going there to use the astrolabe - that's all."

"So then that's settled," Jinsoul said before shifting the topic. "Chaewon, how's the elemental spell learning going? I heard that you chose earth."

"I did and it's going well," Chaewon responded positively. "I'm reading over the book right now but I'll work on it more this weekend. Hyejoo is a pretty good teacher and motivator."

"Well, she did learn from the best," Jungeun noted while glancing at her girlfriend. "But if you want help from any of us, you can always ask."

"...𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺-𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦."

The given women lifted their heads up at the television nearby as soon as they heard this. 

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦, 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘲𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘦 '𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴'," " the news anchor continued. "𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳."

"Of course," Heejin grumbled. "Mortal sacrificial rituals haven't been done and was banned since the early twentieth century. If they weren't so ignorant and did a minute's worth of research, they would know that."

"Are we surprised?" Hyejoo said out of frustration. "They always cling to stereotypes to push their narrative. They don't actually care."

Chaewon frowned as she looked around at the reactions of the students, who were obviously pleased with the result and murmuring about how dangerous witches were and how this was "justice". There was a good chunk of people in the room who looked skeptical or were saddened but the majority looked pleased. Usually, that did not bother her but the fact that these young witches were obviously killed intentionally and most did not care truly made her sick. It was disgusting how quickly people would believe these false or exaggerated stereotypes when they could easily educate themselves.

"This is why we need to remain alert," Jinsoul reminded them. "This could easily happen to us if we aren't careful."

Chaewon gulped as the reality of this situation truly struck her. Coming from a realm away from humans and Earth, she never knew about how bad witches here had it. But now that she was planning on living here, Chaewon realized how unsafe this place was. As much as she wanted to the positives of the mortal world, these issues were too high-risk to ignore. It would take centuries until non-humans could be seen as equals to humans. 

***

"Let me show you the spell I learned!" Chaewon offered excitedly when she and her roommate arrived at their meeting spot. 

"Go ahead, I'm curious," Hyejoo allowed, smiling motivatingly as she watched. "You said you needed my familiar, right?"

Hyejoo took off her grey varsity jacket and placed it on the grass, casting a spell that changed the article of clothing into a grey wolf of the same color. 

"Wow, your familiar can transform into a jacket?" Chaewon gasped. "How does that work?"

"Well, the jacket grows as I grow up so I can fit it," Hyejoo started to explain. "It can't tear and any stain can be cleaned easily with water. I just have to be careful not to lose it, which is why I don't wear it all the time."

"That's cool! I never knew that familiars could change into clothes..."

"So, what do you need Skylar for?"

Chaewon kneeled to the wolf and was greeted by the animal licking her face repeatedly, causing her to giggle. After the animal calmed down, she brought her finger to the forehead and drew a symbol at that spot. Afterward, Chaewon pressed her whole hand over the symbol and waited for a few seconds. Gradually, Skylar's eyes became droopy and her body went into a laying position. Finally, her eyes were completely closed and her head came down, fully falling asleep.

"I know it isn't the most difficult spell and we can't really use it but I thought it would be fun to learn," Chaewon said nervously as she removed her hand. 

"You don't have to defend yourself - that is amazing!" Hyejoo complimented, causing Chaewon to beam. "Even if we won't use it when cracking down on hunters, the important thing is that you're learning. There are so many spells I haven't used often but I enjoyed having the knowledge."

"Thanks, that means a lot," Chaewon appreciated openly. "I used it on Evelyn when she was babbling too much and she slept for hours!"

"Hah, I don't blame you," Hyejoo laughed. "I would do it on Jinsoul's familiar but since she's a fish, I wouldn't be able to."

"You keep mentioning Jinsoul's familiar so I'm even more curious," Chaewon chuckled. "When can I see her?"

"Well, it's not hard since Jinsoul rarely leaves the fish in its inanimate form," Hyejoo explained. "She's in a fish tank in Jinsoul's office but she can swim in the air and be without water for about four hours. But I wouldn't be excited - she's like an annoying teacher."

"What about Jungeun's and Heejin's?"

"Jungeun's is pretty nice but barely can speak - she's an owl so you can't expect much. Heejin's is probably my favorite because she's completely chill despite being a rabbit and always calls out anyone on their bullshit."

"Sounds better than having Evelyn," Chaewon snorted. "But I wish my own familiar was more talkative. Fleur rarely ever says a word but I guess that's what comes with a butterfly. That's why I attach to Evelyn more, besides the fact that she's the closest thing to my mother. I feel guilty for neglecting her..."

"Then bring her here next time and maybe we can figure her out," Hyejoo suggested. "Usually the quietest ones are the wisest."

"Possibly..."

"Great job for this week," Hyejoo praised as she changed Skylar back into a jacket and wore it. "Now, there is something I wanted us to look at. Remember the blanket we saw at that shop? Well..."

Hyejoo pulled out a book from her backpack and showed the cover to Chaewon. The faery witch was stunned when she saw the artwork and instantly linked it back to the blanket.

"Where did you find this??"

"I went into an old library with Jinsoul and I saw this. I thought this is exactly what we need to learn about these necklaces and who the hell Aine is."

"This is perfect!" Chaewon exclaimed. "But it's a pretty big book. It might take us weeks to read."

"We're in no rush, right?" Hyejoo reminded. "If it takes us a month or two, I'm fine with that."

"Are you willing to put up with me that long?" Chaewon asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be able to?" Hyejoo claimed with a smirk. "You're literally the least annoying person I've ever met."

"Really?"

"Mhm, compared to everyone else I have to deal with," Hyejoo nodded. "Jinsoul can nag too much, Jungeun is too hyper, Heejin is chill but can tease me sometimes, and Audette is... Audette. But you're relaxed and very nice so I like you. Maybe too nice but that's more of a positive than a negative pertaining to me."

"Wow, thanks!" Chaewon grinned. "For some who's a loner and doesn't want friends, you surely like to compliment people."

"I don't usually...It's only for you," Hyejoo admitted shyly, resulting in Chaewon's cheeks heating up. After a few seconds of awkward silence, the dragonic witch quickly changed the subject: "Uh, how about we start reading? We have to leave in a few hours for the dinner..."

"G-Good idea," Chaewon stuttered in agreement as they sat on the grass and got started. 

The beginning of the book mostly wrote about the creation of witches, which they were already fairly familiar with. Witches were created by the goddesses in order to protect the realms, including Earth, and maintain balance. There were witch types for every aspect of life for that reason. Unfortunately, Earth has been out of their focus lately since the humans were not fond of them. Still, all witches were proud of their craft and took pride in helping others.

While they were reading and discussing, the two witches gradually got closer until their shoulders were almost touching. Hyejoo did not register this until she felt the light weight of Chaewon's head on her shoulder. She tensed slightly but still allowed the blue-haired woman to sit there comfortably against her. Even though this was sudden, Hyejoo could not bring herself to move. Whether it was out of respect or because she actually liked this, she did could not decipher - although, she was leaning more to the latter.

"I think we can stop here for now," Chaewon suggested after about thirty pages. "We can continue tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, sure," Hyejoo agreed before closing the book. "We should probably get ready."

Chaewon lifted her head off of her shoulder and got back on her feet. For some reason, Hyejoo felt disappointed by this but tried to shake it off. 

"Are you okay?" Chaewon asked when noticing the dragonic witch's frown.

"Um, yeah!" Hyejoo answered quickly. "Let's just leave, okay?"

"Okay..." Chaewon believed but still had a hint of disbelief. "Let's go."

***

At about six in the evening, the five of them arrived at Heejin's parents' home. The realm they were in personally belonged to the council, close staff, and anyone with royal blood - which totaled to about a hundred witches. It would explain why the area was mostly quiet, besides the young children they would see occasionally.

"Remember what we're here for," Heejin reminded them before knocking on the door. "Don't get distracted with the dinner or anything my mothers say to you. We have a job to do."

"I promise you that we'll stay focused," Jinsoul stated before side-eyeing her girlfriend. "Right?"

"What? Of course, I can stay focused!" Jungeun defended herself. "Trust me!"

Heejin sighed but still knocked on the door. They waited for a minute before the door finally swung open. 

"I didn't expect you to actually come," the woman who was standing in the doorway said, surprised. "I thought you would still be avoiding this place."

"I would be but unfortunately we have a job to do," Heejin groaned. "But at least you're here to help."

"Of course, babe. Anytime," the woman looked at everyone else. "You're all Heejin's friends and coven mates, right?"

"Yes, I'm Jinsoul," the lunar witch introduced herself before pointing to the other women. "And this is Jungeun, Hyejoo, and Chaewon."

"I'm Ryujin, the librarian's assistant of this house," the woman told them while shaking Jinsoul's hand. "I appreciate that you all are helping Heejin out. She already told me why you're actually here."

"Ryujin is going to ensure that the area is clear so we sneak into the room," Heejin explained before turning back to her friend: "Thanks again. This would have been hell without you."

"It's no problem, babe. I just hope your parents aren't going to find out and get upset. Last time, they were so angry they-"

"Haha, anyway," Heejin interrupted, grabbing her close friend's hand. "How about we go inside now?"

"Ohh..." Ryujin glanced at the other four women nervously. "Sure! Follow me to the dining room."

Ryujin let everyone come inside before closing and locking the front door. As they walked down the hallway, it was evident that this home belonged to a family related to royalty. Even though the house was a similar size and style to Audette's house, there were much more expensive pieces and furniture inside. Additionally, while Audette's had a few workers, this place had maids and other workers at every corner. 

"This is where the dinner will take place," Ryujin announced as they entered the dining room. 

"All this food is for us??" Chaewon gasped as she saw the table covered in many diverse platters of food. 

"Yes, it is," Ryujin chuckled at the reaction. "Heejin's parents love to treat their special guests with massive dinners. Besides being Heejin's friends, you all do have an impeccable reputation with the council. I imagine that Heejin's grandmother, being one of the nine members, spoke highly of you all."

"Then we better enjoy all of this food!" Jungeun grinned as she sat down at the table, along with the other women besides the librarian's assistant.

"Heejin's parents will be here in about five minutes," Ryujin told them. "I'll stay here until they arrive."

"Great, because now I have a question!" Jungeun spoke up before wearing a smirk. "Heejin talks to you all the time, right? Do you know who her secret lover is?"

"Are you still on this?..." Heejin grumbled after a long sigh.

"Secret lover, huh? Nope, I have no idea," Ryujin chuckled. "But I'm confident that you'll never know who that is."

"Maybe but it's still fun to figure out who it is," Jungeun pouted. "Wait, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You two are always calling each other, you call her 'babe', you've lived in the same house for years..."

"I call every one of my friends 'babe'," Ryujin snickered. "Also, I have a girlfriend so I'm out of the picture. Sorry to disappoint."

"Jungeun, what did we literally just talk about?" Jinsoul questioned her warningly. 

"What? I am focused!" Jungeun defended. "I just get slightly distracted sometimes, that's all!"

"I should've just brought you here..." Heejin whispered to the Chaewon regretfully, causing her to giggle.

Everyone stopped speaking when they saw two older women appear at the doorway about a minute later. One of them had a soft-looking face with long white hair - wearing a ruby-colored pencil dress. The other woman looked stern and had her arms folded, with her dark brown hair tied into a bun and wearing a suit. Immediately, all of them stood up and bowed respectfully. 

"Oh you don't need to bow," the white-haired woman said amusedly. "We might be of royal descent but we aren't high and mighty."

"Oh, thank you," Jinsoul appreciated as they lifted their heads. "We wanted to share our gratitude for allowing us into your home and inviting us to dinner."

"You are very welcome," the dark-brown-haired woman spoke up. "We've wanted to see our daughter for months but we are glad that she brought such distinguished young ladies."

"You may call my wife Princess Ida and myself Duchess Nora," the white-haired woman told them. "And, if my memory serves me correctly, you're Jinsoul, Jungeun, and Hyejoo! Nice to meet you!"

"It's unfortunate that our daughter waited so long to introduce you to us," Ida frowned. "I don't know what took her so long..."

"Sure you don't..." Heejin mumbled sarcastically, only being heard by the faery witch.

"And you," Ida pointed at Chaewon. "I've never seen you before. State your name."

"Chaewon, ma'am," the blue-haired woman told her shyly. "I'm new into the coven."

"Chaewon, interesting..." Ida hummed. She thought for a moment before saying: "Well, I hope you live up to their expectations."

"I will certainly try!" Chaewon promised, masking her anxiousness from the princess's firm gaze.

"How about we sit down and start eating before the food gets cold?" Nora suggested and they all agreed, with Ryujin promptly leaving.

For the next five minutes, they all got their plates together and began eating. A minute in, the duchess started up the conversation.

"So, tell me, how is it coming face-to-face with those witch hunters?" Nora asked. "It must be terrifying, right?"

"At first, all of the situations were. But now, we rarely are afraid of the hunters we come across," Hyejoo responded. "Most hunters are pretty careless because they know that most officers won't care. That's an advantage for us and we can find them quite easily. Plus, they usually work alone so we outnumber them nine times out of ten."

"When we work together, it often takes off some of our worries," Jungeun added on. 

"That's wonderful. It's good to hear that Heejin is taking part in something useful," Ida stated acidulously, side-eyeing her daughter. "I hope she wasn't causing you any trouble."

"Uh, no, she never does," Jungeun denied. "Heejin helps out quite a lot, actually. We wouldn't be able to be successful without her."

Ida simply hummed and went back to eating, seemingly not in complete belief. To clear the air, Nora continued to ask calmer questions.

Since most of the questions were focused on hunters, Chaewon mostly stayed quiet and ate her food. Surprisingly, Heejin had not said a word - only making her subtle reactions. Chaewon noticed how Heejin's body looked stiff throughout the entire dinner. The cosmic witch avoided even glancing at her parents and genuinely looked jittery when they mentioned her. Chaewon knew that Heejin had a rough time with her parents but her body language described a more gruesome story. Even the way the mothers spoke about their daughter was odd, as if they were annoyed by her but wanted to remain professional. 

"So, tell me, what you've been doing?" Ida turned her daughter and placed her own hand on the Heejin's. "You must have been doing something important if you've been avoiding us."

"Uh, as they said, I was focused on dealing with hunters," Heejin stated, keeping her eyes fixed on her plate instead of her parents. Chaewon noticed that the moment the cosmic witch felt her mother's touch, her shoulders rose and her eyes widened.

"I hope you've been behaving yourself," her mother continued, slightly squeezing her daughter's hand. "You have a reputation to uphold and I can't have you ruining what we've maintained for centuries."

"You don't have to remind me," Heejin sighed, getting irritated. "Can we not talk about this now?"

"If you would talk to us more often, we wouldn't have to."

"You know why," Heejin looked up at her mother for the first time and stared at her warningly. 

Ida simply let go and turned away from Heejin, who exhaled as soon as her hand was released. 

"Anyway, tell me how the university is going!" Nora quickly said. "I'm curious!"

As her friends responded, Chaewon focused on Heejin. After the whole exchange, she looked anxious and kept staring at the plate that still had a lot of food left. Heejin twirled the fork between her fingers and remained on edge for the rest of the dinner, not glancing up or changing her expression. Chaewon knew that there was something off about Heejin's parents but she could not place what it was. The way Ida held onto Heejin's hand tightly and glared at her made Chaewon feel skittish.

When the dinner had ended, the two oldest women said their farewells and left the dining room. Ryujin came back and guided them to where the guest rooms were. Since Heejin had her own room, they provided one room for Chaewon and Hyejoo and another room for Jinsoul and Jungeun. They planned to wait until Heejin's parents and mansion workers were asleep before they would access the astrolabe, with Ryujin texting them the signal. They would meet on the third floor and continue from there.

"Did you notice how weird Heejin's parents are?" Chaewon brought up as she got into one of two beds in the room. 

"I did but I tried to not draw attention to it," Hyejoo nodded as sat on the other bed. "Nora seems nice but also like she's constantly trying to keep up an act. And Ida just seems so... aggressive."

"Heejin looked scared the entire evening, like she was worried that her parents would attack her," Chaewon observed. "I don't want to assumptions but it seemed like maybe..."

"Let's hope that's not the case," Hyejoo sighed. "Heejin will never tell us, and frankly doesn't have to, so we'll just hope that what we're thinking is not as severe."

"Let's get out of here first thing in the morning for Heejin's sake," Chaewon advised and Hyejoo immediately agreed.

When the time was around 11 o'clock, Ryujin sent all of them a text message to join her on the third floor since everyone had gone to bed. Without wasting a second, all of them left their rooms and snuck to the meeting spot. 

"It's in this room," Ryujin told them in a whisper as they approached a certain door. "It shouldn't take you more than five minutes to use."

"Thank you," Jinsoul said while they entered the dark room while Ryujin stood to watch outside. 

When they turned on the lights, they found a large structure that looked exactly like an astrolabe: a circular structure that looked similar to a clock but with an outer and inner ring carved with differing symbols. 

"Wow, I've never seen an astrolabe up close before," Chaewon gasped as they stepped closer. "How do you use this?"

"It's not easy but I learned it when I was younger," Heejin stated. "It's difficult to explain to someone who's not a cosmic witch but it's all about relating space with time. Each symbol on the outer ring represents a time period and each symbol on the inner ring represents a deity. When they connect, then we can find the witch. Then the rest is more complex so I won't bore you."

"There's a specific name you need, right?" Jinsoul recalled. 

"Yes, Lee Haneul," Chaewon told them. "But I don't know their deity or their time period so..."

"Then this will be a lot more complicated..."

"Hold on, I have an idea. Chaewon, you brought the rose-colored glasses, right?" Heejin asked.

"Uh, yes!" Chaewon took the glasses out of her pocket and handed them over. 

"Perfect..."

Heejin took the glasses and cast a quick spell, which caused a constellation to appear in front of her. 

"Eighteenth-century, Iris," Heejin recognized as she read the constellation and handed the glasses back. "Huh, I haven't heard that name in a while..."

"Iris? Who's that?" Chaewon asked. 

"You've heard of eclectic witches, right? Well, she's their goddess," Jungeun explained. "You don't hear of her often because eclectic witches are pretty rare - about one in a hundred thousand. She mostly lives a normal but secretive life in a private realm."

"And that means that if we get Lee Haneul with this information, then that means that she was an eclectic witch," Heejin added. "Let's see."

With a few small hand movements, the astrolabe began to glow a brilliant blue and purple as it was activated - with the tips of her pointer fingers turning the same color. Heejin moved her fingers in a certain fashion that made the inner and outer rings turn in opposite directions. Finally, the roman numeral symbol "𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈" on the outer ring matched with the rainbow symbol on the inner ring, with them lining up perfectly with an arrow extending from the contraption's center.

A few seconds later, the astrolabe flashed gold and the room became significantly darker. Above them, a starry sky appeared with the same constellation as the one Heejin conjured. Everyone was completely speechless by the whole display.

"And if we zoom in..." Heejin moved her fingers in a way that made the constellation larger and the individual stars more distinct.

Instead of regular constellations with a few stars, witch constellations can have hundreds of stars. Since every witch had a constellation based on their witch type and the century they were born in, there were chances for hundreds of witches to align with one constellation. And once all of the eighty-eight is filled, the oldest constellation is replaced with the newest century of witches. Witches only made up five percent of the population so there were usually less than a thousand per constellation. 

Lunar and solar witches were the most common, so their constellations could break a thousand. Eclectic witches, on the other hand, were the rarest so about a hundred seemed logical for that time period. These days, there are sadly way less than that. 

"Lee Haneul... oh!" Heejin spotted a star and focused her pointer finger on the star, causing it to glow. The star came down from above them and in front of the cosmic witch. "Now, let's see what we can learn about you..."

"She can learn about a person just from a star?" Chaewon quietly asked the dragonic witch next to her. 

"Yeah, some things. We all have a star that keeps a small record of us," Hyejoo whispered back. "If we looked up yours, we could get some facts about your life."

"Fascinating..."

"Lee Haneul - born in May 1789 and died in October 1833, so at age 44" Heejin read aloud since she was the only one who can interpret. "She was some sort of adventurer for most of her life. She was dating a witch named Mihi at the time of her death..."

"Mihi is the next person we need to find," Chaewon told her. 

"Okay, then let me select her name," Heejin tapped the air and the star completely changed. "Wow, there's not much about her. I mean, some stars have less info than others but this one is just strange. However, they do have the family tree on here. Maybe her descendant will know where she is."

"Let's hope," Jinsoul sighed. "Otherwise, we'll be at another standstill."

"Well, the only descendant that is alive lives on Earth in South Korea, so that's a benefit," Heejin interpreted. "It's her great-granddaughter...Im Yeojin..."

"Yeojin??" Chaewon exclaimed. 

"What? Do you know her?"

"I've met a girl named Yeojin a few days ago on our campus," Chaewon remembered, digging into her pocket and pulled out a crystal. "She gave me this."

"That is... interesting," Heejin took the rose quartz and analyzed it with a spell. "It's the same material as on the glasses so that's proof that they are related. So now we have two options - we can search around for Yeojin on campus, which could take weeks, or we can find the source of this material and hope that Yeojin lives close."

"We can try both," Jungeun suggested. "Some of us can find the source while the others search in the meantime."

"Good idea," Jinsoul agreed. "Chaewon, do you know any information about her?"

"Well, I'm certain that she's a freshman since she was searching for a building and looked pretty young," Chaewon inferred. "She has brown hair and dresses kind of childlike."

"By that description, she must be pretty distinct," Hyejoo commented. "I'm sure that we'll know her when we see her."

"Hyejoo, you know the most about crystals so you can help me with getting the source," Heejin instructed. "But all of us should keep our eyes out for that girl."

"Then that's our next task," Jinsoul stated. "The letter said that we have to drag out this mission to not be caught so let's work on this in a few weeks. For now, just act casual to not draw attention. If you do find Yeojin before then, we can inform her of the situation."

"Got it," Chaewon understood, followed by everyone else.

For the most part, Chaewon was just grateful that everything was going to plan. Even if finding Yeojin could be a struggle, they at least knew she was on campus. In retrospect, maybe meeting that girl was not even a coincidence. Either way, Chaewon only hoped that Yeojin would not take ages to locate.

"Now, let's get going," Heejin encouraged, deactivating the astrolabe. "I'm not ready to deal with the wrath of my parents right now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Starting off with Jinsoul and Hyejoo conversation, there is finally an explanation for Jinsoul's strange behavior. She's using this opportunity to find out more about their parents' murder. However, do you think that there is more to the story or that Jinsoul is saying the complete truth?  
> The group finally go meet Heejin's parents, which you can already tell there's something off. There is some clear tension between the parents and their daughter, followed Heejin's fear and worry of her parents. What do you think is going on? Like I said, this ties into the darker aspect that will be brought up later.  
> And finally, a little info on Lee Haneul. While most of the info is unuseful, at the very least our girls now of the connection between her and Mihi. That also brings up Yeojin's importance, so prepare to see her again pretty soon!
> 
> Also, PERSONAL UPDATE: I'm getting better every day and I appreciate those their patience. Unfortunately, I will have to extend Chapter 7 as well to March 6th. But I promise that I'll be back on my regular schedule after that! Thank you for your understanding! (Also, the next chapter is very wholesome for HyeWon, so you all will feel it is worth the wait!)


	7. 𝑽𝑰𝑰 - 𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒔 & 𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 - 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡

The next few weeks were very relaxed compared to before. Besides their schoolwork, they had more free time to focus on other things. After leaving Heejin's parents' home, they collectively decided to give themselves a small break as midterms were coming up. Jinsoul had told the council about Lee Chinhwa and allowed them to rest while some of the other witches would handle this investigation. If there was any huge development, then they would get involved.

And with time she was given, Chaewon had an endeavor she had to complete. 

"𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰?"

"Yeah, Ryujin? It's Chaewon!" the faery witch said into the phone as she sat on her bed. 

"𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘯! 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯?" 

"Great but there is something I need help with and I was wondering if you can give some insight."

"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘶𝘱?"

"Well, I don't know if you know what this is but there's this rare trinket that I'm looking for," Chaewon began. "It's a camera that can store short videos in a photo. You put the photo in moon water and it shows the video in the form of a hologram. I'm not sure what the proper name is..."

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯, 𝘢 '𝘔𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢'? 𝘖𝘰𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴..."

"Is there any way I can get one?" Chaewon asked desperately. "It's supposed to be a gift for someone who really would appreciate it."

"𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 - 𝘢 𝘔𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦."

"Then how much money will it cost?"

"𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 - 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢. 𝘈𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘴 - 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘮."

"The dragon realm? Isn't that dangerous?"

"𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘜𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘦𝘫𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

Chaewon thought for a moment. Going to the dragon realm might not be an issue if Hyejoo had gone before; she would only have to create a cover-up as to why she needed to get crystals. But still, Chaewon would be lying if she said that dragons were frightening to her. Of course, they were beautiful creatures but they were also extremely territorial and can be aggressive if threatened. That was why many crystals were sold second-hand and only designated witches would even dare step into the realm. Even if Hyejoo was a dragon expert, that would not diminish her fears. 

However, despite this, Chaewon still felt like she was obligated to get this camera. She made a promise to Hyejoo weeks ago that she would help her look for that camera. Obviously, a camera that rare should not be easy to attain so a little work had to be done - even if that involved facing her fear of those massive beasts. Chaewon and Hyejoo could stop by at the realm, pick up a few pure crystals, and leave within the hour. How bad could it be?

"Alright, I'll do it," Chaewon finally agreed. "But how many crystals do they need?"

"𝘖𝘩, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺? 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘶𝘯. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘦𝘦𝘫𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 12𝘵𝘩 - 𝘴𝘰, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴? 𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦?"

"It should be, yes! Thank you so much for your help!"

"𝘕𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮! 𝘌𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘩?"

"I will, you too! Bye!" Chaewon ended the call and set her phone on the bedside table.

"Ooh, so you're actually getting that gift for your crush, huh?" Evelyn teased, watching her master from the desk. "Well, at least it's quite valuable. Although, you've never gone to that extent to get a gift for me."

"That's because Hyejoo doesn't lay around all day and judge me as you do," Chaewon shot back with an amused smile.

"True but you've known me longer," Evelyn argued. "You two have talked for almost two months and you're already falling for her."

"I'm not falling for her. We're just getting along a lot better," Chaewon claimed. "Hyejoo is a great friend and I appreciate her presence. That is why I'm giving her this gift. Maybe you're just jealous that I have someone to talk to more than you."

"Please, I don't get envious of your love affairs. More time for my beauty sleep is always desired."

Just then, there was a knock on her bedroom door. When Chaewon came to open it, Hyejoo was standing there with a bag in her hand.

"Oh, hi!"

"Hey! Sorry for, uh, interrupting but I had a quick question to ask you," Hyejoo started. "Are you busy?"

"Oh, no, I'm just sitting around. Come in," Chaewon offered, allowing the dragonic witch to enter her room.

"Well, if it isn't my royal subject," Evelyn spoke up. "I hope you brought gifts in that bag of yours."

"Actually, yes," Hyejoo reached into her bag and got out a small container filled with meat. She took off the lid and set the container in front of Evelyn, who immediately sniffed the food and took a bite.

"Oh my, this is delicious!" Evelyn exclaimed. "Alright, maybe you aren't simply a royal subject. You have proven yourself more beneficial than my master."

"Hey!" Chaewon said, feeling offended. 

"Don't worry. I'm not planning on replacing you," Hyejoo chuckled while taking out a bag of popcorn. "I brought a gift for you too."

"You are literally the best roommate ever!" Chaewon hugged the dragonic witch briefly and grabbed the popcorn eagerly. "What did you want to ask me?"

"Before I ask, I should add some context," Hyejoo began. "So, I was reading more of that book in my spare time and I discovered an interesting fact about these necklaces."

"Ooh, what is it?"

"First of all, the necklaces aren't some kind of coincidence," Hyejoo stated. "You know about how witches were created right?"

"Yes! It's because we were brought to take care of the Earth and the realms, right?" Chaewon remembered. "Sorry, I never learned the details of wiccan history..."

"No, that's good! That's the basic idea that you need to know," Hyejoo reassured. "The reason I bring that up is because that ties into where these necklaces came from. Apparently, the necklaces were tied to the first generation of witches - the Solis Nation. They were led by the person we suspected: Aine. It was written that she disappeared but we now know that to be mostly untrue."

"So, basically, Aine is the person who uncovers a lot of these secrets?" Chaewon concluded.

"Yep, I guess so," Hyejoo nodded. "But that leads into my question. When you were younger, did your parents- er, I guess 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 - ever tell you about Lesbos, by any chance?"

"Yes, surprisingly! It was this realm filled with poets and peaceful witches who worked closely with the goddesses. I've heard from my mother that only a few witches can get access and that I could but I forgot about that place. Isn't there this Morning Glory Festival that happens there?"

"So you do know..." Hyejoo mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing! That's good that you know about the location," Hyejoo smiled. "I ask because my parents used to tell me the same thing. Another reason is because that's where these necklaces were made."

"Really? So, does that mean that our parents have been there?"

"Maybe not our parents but definitely someone in our families."

"So then why were we supposed to have these?"

"I'm not sure about that part," Hyejoo admitted. "And sadly, I don't think the book will tell us why. With both of our families distancing themselves from us or being killed, we'll probably never know. But what I do know is that we have a tighter connection than we realize."

"My mother and your parents used to be in the same coven so I'm sure that we've met before but maybe just don't remember?" Chaewon theorized. "We'll just need to dig into this a little dee-"

Chaewon broke into a fit of coughs, make Hyejoo and Evelyn jump. 

"Are you okay??" Hyejoo asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm good..." Chaewon replied with a hoarse voice, lifting her head to reveal watery eyes. 

"Are you sure that you're not sick or something?"

"No, just the sudden cold weather," Chaewon said after clearing her throat. "Faery witches don't do well with cold temperatures, which is why the period between late fall to winter is not the best time for us. But I'm fine, don't worry."

"Okay but if this gets worse, you should tell me," Hyejoo stated with concern. "I don't want you to get completely ill."

"O-Oh, I will," Chaewon nodded, not expecting the statement. "And, uh, thanks again for the popcorn."

"No problem. I should let you rest," Hyejoo said before walking back to the door. "Oh, and I'm going to be with Jinsoul for the night. But if you need me, just call me. I'll have my phone on me the whole time. Do you need me to get you food or...?"

"No, I can get some on my own. I'm planning on going out with Jiwoo later anyway. But thanks for asking!"

"Anytime. I'll see you tomorrow," Hyejoo waved as she left the room. "Take care of yourself."

"You too," Chaewon waved back as the door closed. When the door closed, she let out a blissful sigh and smiled uncontrollably.

"And you say that you aren't falling in love," Evelyn rolled her eyes. 

This time, Chaewon ignored what the cat had said. Maybe she was not falling in love but instead enjoying her roommate's company. Chaewon would admit that she was bad at recognizing her own emotions, especially when it came to romance. That was why she never dated anyone - because she could not tell the difference between the types of attractions. Hyejoo certainly did create an emotion she rarely felt before, which was the foreign yet warm feeling in her chest. 

But whether that was platonic or not - she would not know.

***

"Thanks for taking me out," Hyejoo appreciated as the plates of food were brought by the waitress. 

"You're welcome. I should be doing this more often," Jinsoul said as their food was on the table. They thanked the waitress and immediately started eating. 

Lately, the two sisters had been hanging out more frequently. Sometimes they would go out for dinner and other times they would go home together. This caused them to be not as distant as a month ago and Hyejoo could not be more thrilled. Since the council paid them for their services, they had enough money to go out to restaurants quite frequently.

"So, there is something I wanted to tell you," Jinsoul started off. "You already know that Jungeun and I have been dating for a long time. So, we've been discussing this for a while and we've decided to permanently love bond each other." 

"Really? That's great!" Hyejoo smiled cheerfully. "The full moon is in less than two weeks. Is that when you're doing it?"

"That's the plan," Jinsoul confirmed.

A permanent love bond is a ritual that most long-lasting witch couples do. It's similar to getting married - where two witches create a powerful bond that allows them to feel each other's emotions and become more dedicated to the other person, along with a matching tattoo. The only difference was that marriage was a much easier process to undo while this ritual would take a painful ceremony to reverse. Although, Hyejoo was not worried about her sister and Jungeun since they have been inseparable since day one. She expected this to happen sooner or later so this announcement was not shocking. 

"I'm surprised you're excited," Jinsoul remarked. "I thought you would be disappointed by this because of our conversation in the library."

"Of course I'm excited! I mean, I was worried that we would distance ourselves more because of this but we've been doing good lately," Hyejoo noted. "If this is what makes you happy then I'm not going to be upset. Just don't forget me, okay?"

"Never," Jinsoul chuckled. "Nothing will change between us."

"Good," Hyejoo chuckled back. "But I guess that means Heejin, Chaewon, and I have to stay somewhere else during the full moon then."

The love bonding ritual is a private and intimate event so it was required that the couple should be alone the whole night.

"Since Chaewon and I already ate roommates, I guess we could just invite Heejin over for the night," Hyejoo suggested. "I'll ask how she feels about that."

"Thank you for being understanding," Jinsoul appreciated. "Wait, isn't that Chaewon over there?"

Hyejoo turned her head and noticed that Chaewon was sitting on the other side of the restaurant. She was at a table with Jiwoo, Yerim, and what appeared to be Jiwoo's girlfriend.

"Yeah, that's her..."

"Well, it seems like she is enjoying herself."

Hyejoo did not really take much notice of this. But when she did, she realized the genial smile on Chaewon's face, along with her mouth opening to emit several laughs. Yerim, who was sitting next to the witch, was hugging her arm and leaning on her shoulder. The two of them lacked any space between one another while they fed the other woman fondly.

"Seems like it."

"You're not jealous, are you?" Jinsoul questioned, causing Hyejoo to whip her head around. 

"No! Why would I be?" Hyejoo denied adamantly. "Yerim is Chaewon's friend so of course they would act like that. It's none of my concern."

"Mhm," Jinsoul hummed but made no further comment.

When Hyejoo glanced back at the other table, her eyes met with her roommate. Chaewon beamed immediately and waved when she caught her attention. Hyejoo smiled and also waved, getting an odd sense of elation from the simple gesture.

"Anyway, what have you been doing outside of school?"

"Huh? Oh!" Hyejoo turned back to her sister. "Yeah, about that..."

The rest of the dinner went smoothly until it was time to head out the door. Coincidentally, Chaewon and her group of friends finished at the same time and exited not long after them.

"I didn't expect you to be coming here."

Hyejoo jumped when the faery witch suddenly appeared by her side.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Chaewon apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you!"

"No, it's fine," Hyejoo reassured. "I guess it was a pure coincidence because we weren't planning on coming here. It was a last-minute decision otherwise I would have told you."

"Same with me," Chaewon stated in understanding. "It was Jiwoo's idea to come here. I knew we were going out but I didn't know she would bring us here. I'm glad I got to see you though. Where's Jinsoul?"

"She's just in the car," Hyejoo pointed to the car nearby. "She wanted to greet you but she claims she doesn't want to interrupt your fun. In translation, she isn't fond of your friends but wants to respect your preference."

"Ah, that makes sense," Chaewon giggled. "Why is she so against non-witches anyway?"

"Jinsoul just has a lot of trust issues," Hyejoo explained with a sigh. "I know it's hypocritical that she uses stereotypes to drive her opinions - and I think she is well aware of that - but I don't think it's intentional. She doesn't hate non-witches but she avoids them at all costs. Personally, I'm fine with anyone but I just gravitate to witches more."

"Well, it's her loss," Chaewon shrugged. 

"Chaewon! Are you coming?!"

Both of them turned their heads and saw Yerim shouting out of the car window.

"Yeah! I'm coming!" Chaewon called back and faced Hyejoo. "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, see you." Hyejoo hesitantly waved as Chaewon ran to the car.

"You two are certainly filled with coincidences," Jinsoul remarked as her younger sister got into the passenger seat.

"I guess you could say that," Hyejoo agreed, not noticing the lunar witch's pensive gaze while they drove off.

***

Hyejoo came back to the dorm at about eight in the morning. As soon as she opened the door, she immediately heard the sound of someone sneezing. 

"You're back," Chaewon said after wiping her nose with a tissue. 

"Chaewon?" Hyejoo closed the door and walked up to sinks where the faery witch was standing. 

Chaewon's cheeks and nose were a shade of red. The blue-haired woman stared at her with tearful and unfocused eyes, looking through her hooded eyelids. 

"Chaewon, I told you to be careful..." Hyejoo frowned. "What happened?"

"I know and I'm sorry," Chaewon said in a nasal voice. "When I got here last night, I felt fine but was coughing a bit. I thought it was nothing so I just went to bed. When I woke up, my nose was stuffy and- achoo!"

Chaewon sneezes into the tissue and more tears fell from her eyes. 

"You need to go back to bed," Hyejoo told her sternly. "Do you have classes today?"

"Yes...a class at ten and another at one..."

"Then email the teachers and tell them that you're sick so you can rest," Hyejoo advised. 

"But-"

"No buts. You have to stay here and sleep," Hyejoo pleaded sincerely. "I'll go out and get you some medicine in the meantime."

"Okay...thank you..." Chaewon finally complied and dragged her feet back to her room.

Hyejoo quickly took out her phone and sent a few text messages to Jungeun, who gave her a quick response. 

𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘦 🌸

> 𝘪 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥. 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳.

𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘦 🌸

> 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶!!

𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘦 🌸

> 𝘯𝘱! 𝘨𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘣𝘺 <3

send message: 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮| 

Hyejoo was about to retort but decided to ignore the message, knowing that she would waste time. Instead, she left the dorm and started to get her idea in action. 

In an hour, Hyejoo returned with two large bags in her hands. She carried them meticulously into the dorm before setting it down when entering Chaewon's room. Hyejoo knocked a few times and when she did not receive an answer, she gradually opened the door.

Chaewon was in bed and deep in slumber, not even shifting when she opened the door. Hyejoo mutely entered the room and commenced vacating the bags, punctiliously setting each item around the room without making a sound. When everything was set, she took the medicine and placed it on the bedside table, along with the plastic bottle filled with a garnet-colored drink.

Before departing, Hyejoo glanced at the slumbering witch one last time. Despite her illness, Chaewon appeared quite placid while slumbering - breathing lightly through trembling and slightly parted lips. For some reason, the vulnerable state of her roommate made her want to skip class and take care of her; the fact that Jinsoul would reprimand her was the only reason restraining her. Even though she felt lamentable that the faery witch had to go through this, Hyejoo was relieved that she could get some rest and hopefully feel better by tomorrow. 

Reluctantly, Hyejoo closed the door so she could leave for her class. All she hoped was that Jungeun's advice would work.

***

Chaewon gradually opened her eyes and waited for her vision to become clear. In a few seconds, she could smell a faint sweet scent that put her body at ease. When she lifted her head, Chaewon noticed all of the flowers - which she identified as chamomile - were in pots and set on her desk, shelves, and a few on the floor. On her bedside table, there were some medicine and drink, along with a sticky note that read:

"𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮. 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘶𝘯 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘺𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘢 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯. 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. - 𝘏𝘺𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘰"

Chaewon looked around her room once more, speechless. Knowing that Hyejoo was willing to do all of this for her not only put a smile on her face but also caused the warm feeling to return. Chaewon could not believe that her usually reserved roommate would care this much, especially when she was not obligated. The medicine was already more than enough. 

At that moment, she heard a light knocking as her door was carefully opened. Hyejoo stepped into the room and when she noticed that Chaewon was awake, she relaxed.

"You're awake," Hyejoo smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Still sick but I don't feel as weak as this morning," Chaewon responded after a few coughs. "What time is it?..."

"It's almost two in the afternoon," Hyejoo replied after glancing at her phone. 

"Wow, I slept for a while..." 

"But that's good. Did you take the medicine yet?"

"No, I just woke up before you walked in," Chaewon shook her head before looking her roommate genuinely in the eyes: "But thank you for all of this. You didn't have to bring the flowers or tea - the medicine was already enough."

"I don't want any of my friends to be sick so I was willing to do anything," Hyejoo claimed. "Plus, I heard that faery witches can get sick easily around this time. So maybe the flowers in your room can at least give you higher immunity. You should be thanking Jungeun since she brought the flowers from home and made the tea."

"But you made the decision in the first place, right?" Chaewon noted while starting to grin. "You didn't even have to bring the medicine. I've never had anyone care about me to the point where they would decorate my room with flowers or bring me medicinal tea. That is very sweet of you..."

"It's no problem, Chaewon," Hyejoo said while the smile on her face grew. They stared at each other wordlessly for a few seconds before the dragonic witch snapped out of it: "Um, anyway, you didn't eat breakfast so do you want anything?"

"It's okay. I'll just drink the tea and eat some fruit," Chaewon reassured. "But, since it's Friday, maybe we could that takeout you offered and watch a movie or something. You don't have to but-"

"Sure, why not?" Hyejoo agreed. "I don't have anything better to do anyway since I have no more classes. Just tell me when you're ready and I'll come back."

"You know, you don't have to leave," Chaewon told her encouragingly. "We can start watching a few movies or talk for a while."

"But don't you want to rest some more?"

"I can still rest," Chaewon chuckled, picking up on how bothered her roommate was. "I'm not planning on sleeping again until tonight. Besides, I think some company would be quite nice."

"Well, if you're sure," Hyejoo finally gave in. "But you have to take some medicine first before we get distracted."

"Alright, I'm taking it now if you come sit," Chaewon said excitedly before she pointed to the chair.

Soon after Hyejoo sat down, Chaewon finally took some medicine and drank the elderberry tea while eating some apple slices. After a few minutes of conversing, the dragonic witch began to loosen up and they talked for hours without even realizing it.

By the evening, Hyejoo had ordered some takeout - with the desert of popcorn, of course - and decided to put on a movie. The movie they decided on was an anime film called "Asagao to Kase-san", which Chaewon suggested since Hyejoo had not seen it before. They started watching right away while starting to eat, being snuggled up in their blankets on their floor in front of the faery witch's laptop.

Even a few minutes into the movie, Hyejoo could tell why Chaewon enjoyed it so much. The film featured a lesbian couple and had a very pastel and flowery aesthetic, aligning with the faery witch's style very well. The main couple was wholesome enough that even she was invested to see where the plot would go.

"I actually relate to Yamada quite a lot," Chaewon spoke up after they were one-thirds through the film. "Not just because she's into gardening and appreciates flowers as much as I do. But because of how she is about relationships."

"You mean being all shy?" Hyejoo asked, listening carefully.

"Yes but more of how she treats it," Chaewon elaborated. "She's so new to all of these emotions that she can't even decipher their meanings. Every time she comes across a new feeling, she questions it but also is eager to learn. I've always been bad with interpreting what I felt, mostly for other people. Sometimes I don't know the difference between a friend or a lover, which causes me to question my whole relationship with others. But...I want to learn the difference."

Hyejoo hummed before asking: "So then, you've never dated a girl?"

"No, never," Chaewon shook her head. "I never even had a first kiss. All of those emotions sort of scare me but it's too intriguing to ignore. Love is such a powerful yet strange concept. So, I wonder...will I ever find anyone to experience those emotions with?"

Hyejoo stayed quiet, urging the faery witch to continue.

"You know, I wonder if I can be like that," Chaewon motioned to the screen, where the two main female characters were kissing at a bus stop. "I'm not trying to be hopeless romantic but I'm always willing to learn new things. But maybe, I'm not meant to have those emotions..."

"Everyone deserves to find love," Hyejoo claimed wholeheartedly. "I'm not someone who focuses on romance but I agree that love is for anyone. I'm sure you will find someone to discover those emotions. You seem like a person who would take the relationship slowly."

"I am but mostly I'm nervous," Chaewon nodded, chuckling awkwardly. "But I'm mostly just looking for a woman who is relaxed and can take their time with me. I want us to travel realms and admire the whole world together. Maybe we can experience new things as well. But I could just be weirdly fantasizing."

"No, what you're asking isn't a lot," Hyejoo commented. "I think that sounds like a perfect relationship. I think you deserve it."

"Really?" Chaewon looked at her optimistically.

"Mhm," Hyejoo hummed. "You deserve to have someone who loves you like that. I'm sure with how kind you are, you can find that kind of woman."

"Thank you," Chaewon appreciated before adding: "But maybe I already found that person."

Hyejoo paused when she heard this, feeling the slight tension in the room. Even though she did not know entirely know the true meaning behind her words, the dragonic witch could sense eyes on her for a few seconds before they focused on the movie. For the rest of the hour, they were mostly silent but would exchange short moments of dialogue unrelated to their first. 

By the end of the film, Hyejoo felt a familiar light weight on her shoulder, realizing that the faery witch had fallen asleep. Just like last time, she waited for a few minutes since she was unable to bring herself to move and risk waking her up. Throughout that time, Hyejoo's heart was pounding as her mind wandered to the conversation from earlier. In hindsight, the description that Chaewon gave on her ideal woman was oddly specific but reminded her clearly of herself. She wondered if the description was intentional because it certainly got her pondering. 

The longer she thought, the more her mind awakened memories of the last almost two months. Chaewon was a person she did not expect to be this comfortable with but appreciated that nonetheless. Their bond was peaceful and served as a getaway from their eventful lives. After both of them living in over a decade of confusion and abandonment, they found solace in the fact that they could relate to each other in many ways. Hyejoo found that Chaewon felt like a childhood best friend other than her roommate of almost two months. Their relationship seemed accurately reflect the faery witch's ideal romance, which both interested and scared her.

The divination card said that Hyejoo was going to find an inseparable relationship within the next few months. She once denied that it would be romantic but she slowly was recognizing that this most likely was not the case. 

After about ten minutes, Hyejoo carefully lifted the head of her shoulder and carried Chaewon bridal-style into her bed. She took a few extra minutes to put the empty containers of food in the trash and plugged in her roommate's laptop. Right before leaving, Hyejoo placed her hand delicately on Chaewon's forehead, sensing slight heat under her palm. Luckily, it seemed like the faery witch was slowly feeling better, which made her feel alleviated. Hyejoo watched over her for few minutes, smiling softly at the pouty face that the sleeping witch wore.

A minute later, Hyejoo left and quietly closed the door behind her. Chaewon woke up in the morning and checked her phone to see:

𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘺𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘰 🐺

> 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘣𝘺. 𝘣𝘵𝘸 𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯!

> 𝘪𝘮 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵. 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨?

Chaewon smiled uncontrollably at the pet name as she texted her back, feeling the warm feeling in her chest bloom into soothing flame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Like I said last time, this chapter was entirely HyeWon fluff. Poor Chaewon got sick but luckily Hyejoo is willing to take care of her without question. Truthfully, I had an idea for this moment even more before I started writing so I think that this was the right time to add this. Chaewon and Hyejoo is slowly catching feelings for each other, and I think the end of the chapter truly highlights that. There isn't really much to say other than I hope you all like scenes like this because more are coming in the future!
> 
> Also, I can finally say that I can return my original schedule! Thank you for all the kind words that was sent during the time I was gone, I appreciate it, truly. Hopefully, this chapter was nice reward for making you all wait so long. In case you're wondering, I'm still recovering but I feel better than I did weeks ago. So, I think it's safe enough to fully return. If I have to take a break again, I will let you know.
> 
> Also, I wanted to add this since all of our girls have been introduced! So that there isn't any confusion, these are the ages, years, and species of all the girls as of this chapter, which takes place in the middle of November. Keep in mind that the ages will change as per the birthdays of each member, which is the same as irl:
> 
> Chaewon: 18, Freshman, Witch  
> Hyejoo: 18, Freshman, Witch  
> Jinsoul: 22, Senior, Witch  
> Jungeun: 19, Sophomore, Witch  
> Heejin: 18, Freshman, Witch  
> Hyunjin: 18, Freshman, Half-succubus - Half-human  
> Jiwoo: 20, Sophomore, Human  
> Yerim: 20, Sophomore, Elf  
> Sooyoung: 20, Junior, Human  
> Haseul: 20, Sophomore, Half-witch - Half-zombie  
> Kahei: n/a (20 yr presenting), Junior, Half-witch (other half will be announced)  
> Yeojin: 18, "Freshman", Witch
> 
> I hope that clears things up!
> 
> Anyway, tell me your thoughts on the first chapter! I can't wait to read your predictions, hopes, and thoughts on this chapter and the rest of the fic!
> 
> > Updates every five days  
> > Insta: @hyesappho 
> 
> See you next time!


	8. 𝑽𝑰𝑰𝑰 - 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒎

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚 - 𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 𝗧𝗪: 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸

"Alright, time to get back to business," Jinsoul announced as the coven sat down in their meeting room. "I have some new information on both of our missions so there is no need to delay anymore. First off, we know who Lee Chinhwa is and it wasn't what we were expecting in the slightest..."

"Lee Chinhwa is non-human like us but one of the rarer species that we have yet to fully define," Jungeun continued. "All we know is he is some sort of undead being, which would explain why he was around for so long."

"Undead? Like Haseul or...?" Hyejoo asked and the green witch shook her head.

"No, not exactly," Jungeun started to explain. "While Haseul used to be alive but then is halfway dead due to the loss of her spirit, Chinhwa was dead to begin with. So, he couldn't be a zombie since he has no living form. So he could be a ghost or demon, for example."

"And that leads us to our next location - the departed realm," Jinsoul further said. "We need to look around for any information on this guy - whether he is residing there or not."

"But isn't it dangerous to go there?" Chaewon questioned nervously. There was a reason why the departed realm was the least visited place among witches. Not only were the inhabitants territorial and aggressive, but they were known to have a distaste of witches in particular. This realm was not a place any non-undead related entity should waltz into.

"It is but we have a means of protecting ourselves, at least for a longer period of time while we search," Jinsoul's eyes wandered to Heejin, who let out a sigh.

"Yeah...we do," Heejin nodded. "Let's just say I've...dealt with the undead more than a few times, in different ways. I'm mostly immune at this point."

"Wait, are you undead?" Chaewon's eyes widened.

"No, although most people get that impression when I tell them this," Heejin disproved. "A few days after I was born, I almost died. I had a low birth weight so I was having trouble breathing. Once it was predicted that I could die within a few hours, my parents received help from a demon that could restore my life. So now, I have demon energy flowing inside me. I'm not considered a demon since I don't have many abilities and I can't transform into one."

"So is that how you met Hyunjin?" Chaewon asked, catching Heejin off guard. "She used to live in The Departed Realm for most of her life."

"Uh, yeah, that's how," Heejin confirmed, glancing at Jinsoul for a second before fully answering: "Because I received help from a demon, I have a contract. After I die, I have to live in The Departed Realm and work for them. So I went there a lot when I was younger and I met a few people - including Hyunjin."

"Speaking of Hyunjin, she needs to come as well!" Jungeun told them eagerly. "Hyunjin is the only one who can travel around freely without capturing any unwanted attention. If anyone can get information on Chinhwa, it's her."

"I'm surprised you're agreeing to this," Hyejoo remarked incredulously, turning to Jinsoul. "Usually, you hate working with non-witches."

"As much as I'm not fond of bringing non-witches into our business, I will make an exception because it's essential," Jinsoul stated. "Besides, Hyunjin already made a contract with me to not discuss this with anyone else. We'll meet here tomorrow evening and spend about an hour searching."

"Now, onto the other mission," Heejin continued. "Hyejoo and I were able to locate where the crystal's origin."

"It's actually not as far as I was suspecting but maybe that's because Yeojin is at our university," Hyejoo remarked. "The crystal was not difficult to read so it's possible that she wanted you to find her on purpose."

"We'll go as soon as possible, most likely after the next full moon occurs," Jinsoul decided. "Speaking of which, Jungeun and I will be spending it here alone so we can permanently love bond. So, you all are free to go wherever you would like as long as it's indoors."

"Chaewon and I already room together so it makes sense that we just spend it together," Hyejoo suggested, looking to her left to watch Chaewon nod in agreement. "If Heejin wants to join us, then she can."

"I... won't be joining, sorry," Heejin told them apologetically. "I'll just be in my dorm for the night."

"With Hyunjin?" Jinsoul raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, yeah. Is there a problem with that?"

"I'm not inferring that there is an inherent issue but I'm just wondering if that's safe," Jinsoul expatiated on. "She's part succubus and if she refuses to control herself during your time of vulnerability, then-"

"Are you implying that you think Hyunjin is going to advantage of me?" Heejin cut her off, already becoming enraged at the connotation. Everyone else internally grimaced when they realized the argument that was about to occur.

"I'm just thinking of all of the possibilities," Jinsoul claimed. "Look, I know you two are good... friends. But even then, I sometimes question the nature of your... platonic relationship. She is a being that requires sexual interactions to survive, even if it is less due to her human side. So, sometimes I wonder if you guys-"

"What happens between me and Hyunjin is none of your business," Heejin stated sternly, glaring furiously at the coven leader. 

"It shouldn't be unless you two are-"

"Listen, Hyunjin is not going to do anything that you're afraid of," Chaewon stepped in, eyes fixed on Jinsoul. Both of them looked at her with wide eyes from the interruption. "I've been around Hyunjin plenty of times during the full moon and she's never harmed me once. She fully understands the seriousness of the situation and always takes care of me. Even if she is a succubus, she never lets that get in the way of her friends' best interests. You don't have to worry."

The corners of Heejin's lips upturned as she silently thanked the faery witch. Jinsoul, on the other hand, was taken aback by the statement but quickly cleared her throat to regain composure. Jungeun and Hyejoo glanced at each other and both shared an equally worried facial expression.

"Then I suppose I have nothing more to say," Jinsoul said, watching Chaewon with a pondering gaze. "Come here by tomorrow at four o'clock in the afternoon. We're leaving at four-thirty and should be back by six. You're free to go."

Chaewon felt a ball of nerves in her throat until Jinsoul finally faced a different direction. Usually, she would not speak up like that to someone older than she was, especially if they were a witch. But to hear her friend get wrongfully slandered and misunderstood truly annoyed her to the point where she had to say something. Additionally, Chaewon did not know the extent of Heejin's and Hyunjin's relationship but she knew enough to ensure that no one else was to intrude on their privacy.

"Let's go," Hyejoo said as she stood from her chair, waving at her sister and Jungeun before leaving the table. Heejin and Chaewon soon did the same, except that the cosmic witch only directed her farewells to the younger of the couple.

"Why did you interrupt like that?" Heejin whispered to the blue-haired woman when they were further away from the meeting room. "You're lucky that Jinsoul didn't scold you after that stunt."

"Because, I'm not going to allow my friends to be misinterpreted," Chaewon stated surely. "Hyunjin has been my friend for years and had never even attempted to take advantage of us. And you too deserve to have some privacy, no matter the nature of your bond. It didn't matter if I get scolded because we've done this before."

"Before?"

"Yeah, once on my first full moon's night with you guys," Chaewon nodded. "Again, she had talked about you two, especially Hyunjin. Jinsoul kept making assumptions that Hyunjin was untrustworthy and is sex hungry when she is the most studious and thoughtful person I know. If she did this twice in less than a month, I can't imagine what's she's said in this past before I came or behind closed doors. I just don't get why she has this mentality."

"Jungeun and Hyejoo won't admit this but Jinsoul only believes that because of her admiration of the council," Heejin stated with disappointment in her voice. "She looks up to them and wants to be a part of the council one day. I get that they aided her and Hyejoo in finding a home and a job but they aren't saints in the slightest. Unfortunately, she refuses to listen to any criticism of them. The only reason why Jinsoul is so hard on me is that I'm being forced to be a future council member but don't want to be."

"And that's why my mother's mission worries her," Chaewon sighed. "But it's unfortunate that that's ruining your friendship."

"Our friendship has been strained for months, ever since she realized how much I despised the council."

"Excuse me for asking but then why do you work for them?" Chaewon asked curiously. "If you hate them so much."

"I'm not working for them because I respect the council. I'm doing it because I'm tired of witches getting kidnapped and the hunters rarely receiving any punishment," Heejin claimed firmly. "I hate the council but I dread witch hunters more. Besides, if it keeps my parents off my ass then I shouldn't complain."

"That makes sense. But the way you describe then sounds like they've done terrible things."

"If you've seen the things I've seen, then you'll be feeling the same way," Heejin exhaled sharply. "Hopefully, whatever journey your mother is leading us on will expose it all."

"Are you two coming?" Hyejoo called back at them when she reached the front door, noticing their slow pace. 

"Yes, coming!" Chaewon called back before saying goodbye to Heejin. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Yeah, take care," Heejin waved and watched as Chaewon caught up with Hyejoo. 

Heejin's mind flashed back to their conversation almost during their first full moon's night together. Originally, she just thought that the faery witch was nothing more than a naive woman with a somewhat well-known mother. But maybe Chaewon had a bit more credit than she was giving her. 

***

The following day, all of them met back at the house at the time Jinsoul told them to arrive. At the moment Chaewon and Hyejoo got to the front door, they could see Heejin and Hyunjin standing there in the middle of a conversation.

"Hyunjin! Heejin!" Chaewon spoke up, which startled the two of them. 

"Chaewon, how's it going?" Hyunjin's face went from fear to relief. "I didn't expect to be joining you on your little adventure. And you're Hyejoo, right?"

"Yep, glad to me you," Hyejoo confirmed as she shook the half- succubus's waiting hand. "I hope my sister, Jinsoul, wasn't rude to you."

"To be honest, she was not completely rude but still was...er, what's a nice way to put this...?"

"Ignorant?"

"Yeah, in nicer terms," Hyunjin chuckled awkwardly. "But it could've been worse. I only agreed because Heejin was going as well, so I'll feel much more comfortable."

"You know, I never knew how close you two are," Chaewon remarked in realization. "You've talked about Heejin more in two months than you have in the past few years."

"Is that so?" Heejin's eyes flicked to Hyunjin worriedly before clearing her throat. "We are not as close as you think. We just happened to share the same dorm and now see each other more often, that's all."

"But didn't you choose your roommate?" Hyejoo pointed out with skepticism. "You refused a room with me and chose Hyunjin instead."

"U-Uh, yeah..."

"If you guys are best friends or something, you can just say so," Hyejoo encouraged. "It's pretty obvious that you aren't acquaintances. We won't tell anyone if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Um..." Heejin's and Hyunjin's eyes met once again for a few seconds before the cosmic witch gave her answer: "Sure, you can think of us as...best friends."

"It doesn't really matter," Hyunjin added on. "And if you could keep that between the four of us, that would be great."

"You have our word," Hyejoo claimed, not entirely questioning them. It was controversial for witches to have a close association with anyone outside of their kind, especially for someone of Heejin's status.

Chaewon kept her mouth shut while this exchange took place. There was something about Heejin's and Hyunjin's demeanor that made her suspicious but now was not the time or place to bring that up.

"Are you girls coming inside yet??" Audette called from the door. "It's pretty cold out here!"

After entering the house, the four women saw Jinsoul and Jungeun were standing nearby. 

"Hyunjin, thank you so much for joining us," Jungeun smiled the moment she saw the half-succubus. "Sorry if it was such short notice. We'll compensate you for your time!"

"It's no problem!" Hyunjin reassured. "I haven't been back there in years so it's nice to catch up."

"We have to hurry if we want to make it back by six," Jinsoul reminded them, barely acknowledging Hyunjin's presence. "Every second counts."

"Before we go, there are a few things I have to inform you all," Hyunjin started to give instructions: "First of all, I can't stress enough how it is important to stay calm and blend in. There are many types of demons and while some of them will ignore you, others will feel as though you're a threat. Don't interact with any demon, not even saying hello or waving. Don't be so frightened since all demons can sense that and can immediately target you. If someone tries to approach you, ignore them and walk away to avoid altercations. All you should do is remain relaxed, keep your face neutral, and only focus on your task. Luckily, as long as you stay near me, most will know that you aren't there for trouble but there are always outliers."

"We understand," Jungeun nodded appreciatively. "We won't be that long anyway. It is possible we won't find any clues but it's better to check."

"It isn't possible to, you know, get killed...?" Chaewon asked nervously.

"Not if you follow those instructions," Hyunjin replied. "If you break any of them, then there is a small chance."

Chaewon gulped. "A-Alright, good to know..." 

Hyejoo must have noticed the anxiousness in Chaewon's voice because she slowly slid her hand into her own, intertwining their fingers as they held hands. She leaned close to the faery witch's ear and whispered:

"It's going to be okay. Just stay close to me and you'll be safe, alright?"

"Okay..." Chaewon whispered back, smiling slightly as she held the dragonic witch's hand tighter.

With Hyunjin drawing the sigil, the group was able to teleport to their destination.

When they arrived at The Departed Realm, the first thing they noticed is that they were in a large building. The room resembled a check-in area that could be seen at a hotel, with a large desk where a dozen demons stood behind while other people waited to fairly short lines. 

"I have to check-in before we venture out," Hyunjin told them while they went to the shortest line of only one person. "It's just to make sure that there aren't a bunch of non-demons lurking around."

Everyone could understand that. The Departed Realm was not only the most dangerous realm they had access to but also possessed some of the most pivotal information. Insight on past people, locations, and events could be found here. It was only natural to be protective of this from people who wish to use that for selfish or malevolent ways. Even if the demons here were vicious at times, they had every right to protect themselves from any morally depraved individual who steps into their domain.

"Good afternoon," the lady at the front desk said as the group of six walked up. "Arriving or departing?"

"Arriving, and planning on staying for two hours," Hyunjin told the lady. 

"Name? Type? Family origin?"

"Kim Hyunjin, a half-succubus, and my family are from Libidine."

"Alright, give me a second," the lady typed on her computer for a while before speaking up again: "Show me your arm."

Hyunjin placed her arm on the desk, palm side up. The lady took a scanner from her desk and shined a red light over the middle of half-succubus's forearm. There was a symbol that was revealed and the computer made a light 'ping' sound. 

"Alright, you're confirmed and checked-in," the lady announced before turning off the scanner and Hyunjin pulled her arm away. "How many people are with you?"

"Five," Hyunjin continued to answer the questions.

"How many demons and non-demons?"

"Four are completely non-demonic and one has partial demonic blood. All of them are witches."

"Which one has the demonic blood?"

"Jeon Heejin, right here," Heejin stepped forward and raised her hand. "I don't have any identification symbol yet until I reach twenty-one."

"But she should be listed under my personal contacts," Hyunjin added. 

The lady typed for another few seconds. 

"Got her checked-in as well," the lady told them before continuing to say: "You are free to go. You should arrive back here by 6:18 pm. We will allow a fifteen-minute window before you will be searched by police and fined accordingly. If you do not arrive back here within the next twenty-four hours, you will be put in jail. You should know the laws by now so remember that breaking any of them, even if it's a non-demon, will either cause you to be put in jail or executed, depending on its severity. You have access to the shuttles outside if you wish."

"Understood. Thank you, ma'am," Hyunjin nodded and promptly walking away from the desk, the other women following.

"Where do you suppose we could information on Lee Chinhwa?" Jinsoul asked when they were far enough away. 

"I don't know the guy personally but I have a friend who might," Hyunjin began. "She works at the National Archives, which holds information on everyone demon to exist. Her family runs the building and our families are close so I'm sure that they'll allow us this small favor. The only limitations are if the guy truly is a demon and if he did any notable."

"Notable? In what way?"

"As in doing something positive that aided in our realm's development and prosperity, or something negative like a crime or is simply infamous," Hyunjin clarified. "The crime has to have been either done in The Departed Realm or a crime that had an indirect effect. So, for example, if he killed anyone outside of the realm, then it wouldn't be reported."

"So then Haseul wouldn't be listed?" Chaewon asked, finally catching on.

"Exactly."

"Then let's hope - if he is a demon - then he has a well-documented history here," Heejin said as they stepped into a separate room that resembled a garage. 

There was a row of shuttles in front of them and Hyunjin chose the closest one.

"Can you take us from here to the National Archives, please?" Hyunjin asked the driver. 

"Hurry up and get on," the man demanded impatiently. Not wanting to cause any conflicts, the group took their seats inside the shuttle. A minute later, the vehicle started to move. 

Chaewon's eyes were immediately glued out her window as she noticed their surroundings. The area was colored completely in red - red landscape, red skies, red fauna - as if she was looking through a filter. The only things that were not completely red were the citizens and their houses, along with a few infrastructures. Every person they came across had red horns on their head and similarly colored bat-like wings. And exactly like Hyunjin hinted at, most people had a sour look on their faces as if they were angry at the world.

"Mostly everyone looks so... annoyed," Chaewon observed, breaking their silence.

"That's demons for you," Jinsoul commented sneeringly. "They're always angry over something..."

"Huh, sounds like you," Jungeun snorted, causing her girlfriend to roll her eyes. 

"And, actually, it's less common than people think," Hyunjin disproved. "For the most part, it's simply just their resting face. Some of us are taught to be tough-looking even if we're not. But I assure you that most of us are pretty reasonable."

Jinsoul mumbled something under her breath and turned her head towards the window. Everyone else shrugged and sat quietly for another few minutes.

"Heejin, can I ask you something?" Chaewon spoke up to the cosmic witch next to her. 

"Sure."

"How did you and Hyunjin meet in the first place?" Chaewon asked. "You guys met here, right? Then I'm sure it must be interesting!"

"Not really. Actually, it's kind of boring," Heejin shrugged. "You wouldn't want to hear it."

"On the contrary, I'd love to hear it!" Chaewon insisted. "Besides, I'll be the judge of that."

"Alright, if you want..." Heejin sighed before starting: "We met when we were nine years old, so almost nine years ago. Due to the demon's contract, I had to learn more about this realm in preparation for my afterlife. I was meeting with the family that I was going to live with and Hyunjin's family just happened to be there. While the adults were talking, I checked out my future bedroom and that was when she walked in..."

𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘙𝘛 𝘖𝘍 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏𝘉𝘈𝘊𝘒

"Woah, you're so lucky to live here!"

Heejin instantly screamed and jumped, falling into the bed and landing on her back.

"Are you okay, Heejin??" the little girl asked, hurrying over to see if she was alright. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have scared you like that!"

"It's okay... I'm fine," Heejin sat back and stared at the girl puzzledly. "How do you know my name?"

"Because I'm the daughter of the parents that just came to greet you. I'm supposed to know your name by now since we're going to be together a lot when you die!" the little girl chuckled playfully. "I'm Hyunjin!"

"Nice to meet you, Hyunjin," Heejin shook her hand. 

"So, you're a witch, huh? Tell me about it!" Hyunjin urged, sitting on the bed beside her. "It must be cool to have powers like that!"

"It's alright, I guess," Heejin shrugged, looking down at her lap. "I just found out that I'm a cosmic witch a few months ago so I haven't gotten used to that yet. But maybe it will be fun."

"You sound kinda sad about it," Hyunjin noticed. 

"I'm not sad that I have powers. I'm just scared of what my parents have planned for me," Heejin claimed somberly. "I'm supposed to be part of this council one day and that means I have to learn so much. My brain already hurts from all the stuff my parents make me learn. And if I do something wrong, they punish me. I don't think they like me..."

"Of course they like you! What kind of adult wouldn't love a cutie like you??" Hyunjin stated, lightening the mood. "And if they don't like you, then I'll beat them up for you!"

"Thanks," Heejin giggled. "But I think you're too small to beat up an adult."

"Trust me, I'm stronger than I look! I beat up my cousin the other day for stealing my cookies and he's way larger than me!" Hyunjin puffed out her chest proudly. "But I did get in trouble afterward so maybe it isn't worth it..."

"You know, you're really funny," Heejin continued to laugh, facing the girl again with more confidence. "I think we could be great friends."

"Obviously! We could be an amazing duo!" Hyunjin agreed, nodding her head repeatedly. "Especially when you reach the afterlife, we could do so many more things together!"

"Mhm, I hope so."

"Girls, dinner is ready!!" A woman announced from outside of the bedroom.

"Yes! Let's go!" Hyunjin grabbed onto Heejin's hand as she rushed out of the room, dragging the young witch with her. "And later, we can ask my mom to drive us around and I could give you a tour! It will be so fun!"

"I-I can't wait!" Heejin said, still startled but amused all the same.

𝘌𝘕𝘋 𝘖𝘍 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏𝘉𝘈𝘊𝘒

"...And then we had dinner and took the tour," Heejin finished off. "Hyunjin was pretty hyper as a child, contrasting to her calm personality now, but she still maintained that kind spirit. I think that's why we've been friends for so long."

"Honestly, I just thought she was adorable," Hyunjin inserted herself into the conversation, looking over her seat to the pair behind her. "I was pretty nervous since I heard that the royal family can be uptight. But once I saw how shy she was, I knew that she was different. And even almost nine years later, that hasn't changed a bit."

"I'm not shy. I'm just reserved - learn the difference," Heejin sputtered out quickly and sternly.

"Sure, sure," Hyunjin smirked. "Either way, that's not a bad thing. Honestly, I'm glad that I changed from my overly ecstatic personality. It must have been annoying."

"It wasn't," Heejin shook her head slightly. "Compared to how dull my life was without you, your presence was like a blessing to me."

"I'm glad I could be that for you."

Heejin and Hyunjin stared at each other as their lips curled up into a timid smile. Seemingly, they forgot about the blue-haired witch sitting near them for a short period of time until the shuttle suddenly jolted upwards. Hyunjin turned wordlessly and sat back in her chair while Heejin focused her gaze elsewhere. Chaewon watched the scene with bewilderment but still kept her mouth shut as to not make it awkward like earlier. Still - the slight glint in their eyes and the way the tension in their bodies just dissipated made the interaction feel more intimate. Even after the fact, Heejin's face still held the remains of placidity and looked more content than Chaewon had ever seen her.

Sometime later, the shuttle stopped in front of a large multi-floored building, which Hyunjin introduced as the National Archives. They thanked the driver and immediately got off the vehicle. 

"Ah, so hot," Jungeun said as she took out a fan and wafted herself. "When we learned in Realm 101 class about how hot The Departed Realm is, they truly weren't kidding."

"Yeah, sorry about that but we won't be long," Hyunjin apologized. "Actually, this is one of the cooler days so this temperature could be a lot worse."

"Cooler days?? This is why we're only coming here once..."

They all headed inside the building without further delay. As soon as they entered, they came face to face with several security guards.

"State your business," one of them said with a booming voice. 

"I'm meeting with a friend, Gahyeon," Hyunjin told them. "She works here with her family."

"Wait here," the security guard walked off while the others watched the group carefully. 

Chaewon was not focused on the guards, though, as she was still in awe over the number of shelves in the space. Every shelf had a book of varying sizes that were pressed next to each other, attempting to fit all of the records. It was incredible to think that every demon that ever existed was documented here. The building looked like a maze and she could not see the ceiling at first glance. How anyone could keep this place so polished and organized was quite impressive.

"Do my eyes deceive me or is this my dear friend finally coming to visit?" 

Walking up to them behind the security guard was a young woman. She had periwinkle-colored hair with pale horns protruding from the top of her head. Even before she said a word, the echoing clatter from her black heels was enough to avert their attention. The closer the woman got, the more otherworldly she appeared - the bright baby blue eyes, the shade of lavender that extended from cheek to cheek, the blue demon's tail that swung in rhythm with her steps. She looked dangerous but innocent simultaneously.

"Come here," the woman said as she and Hyunjin hugged one another. " I think I haven't truly seen you for around three years. I'm glad that you're back. I missed you so much."

"I missed you too..." Hyunjin told her back before gradually pulling away. "I wish I could stay longer but we're limited on time. Did you get any information on the guy I called you about?"

"Yes, and I have a lot of, uh, let's say 'interesting' facts to share," Gahyeon chuckled. "So, who are your friends?"

"Well, this is Jinsoul, Jungeun, Hyejoo, Chaewon, and Heejin," Hyunjin explained, pointing out the respective person. "They're all here since that Lee Chinhwa guy is a witch hunter back on Earth. They're trying to locate him."

"Ah, I got that assumption when I was reading about him," Gahyeon understood. "But, Heejin? I haven't seen you since you were like eleven! Wow, you've grown up so beautifully!"

"Thanks," Heejin smiled. "You have to, even though I barely remember what you looked like back then."

"Thank you! Honestly, I can't get over how cute you two were back then!" Gahyeon gushed at all the memories. "You two were the cutest inseparable pair when you were kids. And now, you both compliment each other quite well. It's good to see that you're this attached even all these years later."

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing," Hyunjin's eyes focused on Heejin for a few seconds, gazing at her lovingly but subtle enough so that only Gahyeon could notice. The ice demon smiled acceptingly before continuing:

"Oh my, I'm being pretty rude! I should ask how the rest of you all are doing," Gahyeon recognized. "How was the trip here? I assume it's your first time coming."

"Oh, the trip went well, thanks!" Jungeun replied. "The only thing is that this realm is far hotter than I expected. How do demons manage this?"

"Ah, yes, the heat. I think that's the only reason we don't get many non-demons visiting. Well, that and our reputation," Gahyeon realized in agreement. "I'm sorry about that. Demons can withstand high temperatures so we mostly just ignore it. I can cool down the temperature in here if you'd like!"

"No, don't worry about it! I don't want to waste your time," Jungeun appreciated. "Besides, we won't be long."

"Anyway, do you have the information on Lee Chinhwa?" Jinsoul asked firmly, settling the topic. 

"Yes! Follow me," Gahyeon began to walk up the stairs, gesturing for them to follow.

"How do you keep so many records in here?" Chaewon asked curiously, still in disbelief. "I mean, isn't there billions of demons to ever exist?"

"Some would think that but the demon population isn't as large as people think," Gahyeon started to answer. "Out of all the non-humans, we make up about 0.5 percent of the population, which isn't that much. There are many contributing factors but it could also be due to many demons not deserving to bear children, leading to each generation getting smaller. Even if they want a child, it's usually only one max. So, there are hundreds of thousands, yes, maybe even close to a million in our population currently. But when you take into account that about 1 percent of the world's population - not including the realms - are non-human, that doesn't give us much room."

"Yeah, succubi are probably the root of that problem," Hyunjin admitted. "Most of us just don't want to settle down and reproduce. We would much rather go around, hook up, and live our lives independently. Not saying that's a terrible thing but it doesn't exactly help our kind."

"But even with that, there still should be a few million records, right?" Chaewon asked. "How is that even possible?..."

"Well, even though demons have existed since the beginning of time, the documentation didn't start until the mid-nineteenth century. Even then, the information was pretty difficult to obtain," Gahyeon explained further. "So anyone existing at that time got documentation, including Lee Chinhwa. Every new demon baby gets recorded the moment they are born, as per law. The new documentation goes on the lowest shelf since there's more of a chance of new information being added. The older ones slowly go up to the top, which is why we're going to the highest floor. If a demon has died before anything noteworthy - good or bad - has been recorded, the records go to another storage house. Considering Chinhwa's records were still here, that could only mean he had done something quite important."

"Wow...sounds like a complicated job..."

"It is but it's needed in order to keep our species in check."

Five minutes later, the group made it to the top floor. Gahyeon guided them to the lectern stand where a book was opened to a certain page. The book was very short - maybe about twenty pages.

"And this is Lee Chinhwa's record," Gahyeon introduced. "Not that much, to be truthful with you. Then again, he is from the nineteenth century so you can't expect the best documentation. And since you said he was witch hunter, we can concur that most of his most...𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 feats happened either on Earth or in realms with many witch inhabitants."

"But what does it say?" Hyejoo asked, eyeing the book curiously.

"Since I've read it, let me give a summary for you. But you better remember because I can't let you take the book. You better take some notes," Gahyeon advised, leading Jinsoul to use the 'Notes' app on her phone. 

"Alright, let's start with some background," the ice demon started. "First of all, he wasn't even born in this realm but in the human world, which isn't uncommon. His parents must have died before we started recording because they aren't listed anywhere. He moved to The Departed Realm when he was ten and left at the age of twenty-one. His date of death is not stated so he is still alive. No connections are listed, which is puzzling since it's unlikely that he has no relationships - platonic, romantic, familial, or occupational - throughout his life so far. He must be keeping his life extremely private."

"A witch hunter that can actually cover their tracks. That's certainly new," Jinsoul remarked as she processed this new information. One fact that they benefitted from was that witch hunters were terrible at hiding their crimes. They know that most people will not investigate or punish them so they often do not even try. Most witch hunters were egotistical as well so they would be the type to babble out their whole scheme to any who asked.

"Now, leading into information that is relevant to your investigation," Gahyeon continued. "There were only two situations that I could find that could give you hints to his crimes and last-seen whereabouts. The first happened in another realm but had effects on our realm so that's why it's listed. He aided in the mass genocide of a now inaccessible realm named Lesbos."

Both Chaewon's and Hyejoo's eyes widen at this, looking at each other to make sure they heard her correctly. 

"The genocide caused the realm to be overthrown and is now used for private purposes. There were only about a couple of thousand people living there so when hundreds died, it took a huge toll. The Solis people - which made up a large majority of the inhabitants - are now scattered over the realms, mostly witch-related ones since they are categorized under witches. Chinhwa aided in these efforts to murder all these people so that's why it's written here. Because demons were mostly blamed for this, it gave us a worse reputation, so that's why we included this in his file."

"And when did this occur?" Hyejoo asked.

"December of 2006."

Hyejoo glanced at Chaewon once more, knowing that both of them shared the same thought process. If the Solis Nation ended and Lesbos became solitary in 2006, that would contribute to the theory that their families could have been there at one point. It also started the theory that maybe Chaewon, Hyejoo, and even Jinsoul lived there during their younger years. But if Chinhwa was involved, that certainly made the case slightly more complicated.

"And the second situation is less treacherous but still immoral nonetheless," Gahyeon further told them. "Chinhwa was caught keeping a witch hostage in his home, which took place while he lived here. The witch's name was Im Mihi, but no further information on her is listed so-"

"Im Mihi? Chaewon, that is the lady listed in your letter, right?" Jungeun asked when she recognized the name.

"Yes, she is," Chaewon nodded, appearing as perplexed as everyone else. They all went into these investigations assuming that the two cases were completely separate. But now, it seemed like that the two were intertwined than they were previously led to believe.

"He ended being imprisoned for five years for his crimes but left this realm the day after his release."

"Five years? Geez, and people wonder why witch hunters are so cocky," Heejin remarked, shaking her head in irritation. 

"And that's all the info I can provide," Gahyeon finished up. "There is a history of him being slightly violent but that never went anywhere in terms of what you're looking for. I'm sorry that there isn't much more I can tell you."

"We understand. I figured we wouldn't find him so easily," Jinsoul stated. "For now, we know his place of residence isn't in this realm anymore. Coincidentally, we're already delving into Mihi so it's simply a matter of connecting the dots."

"Thank you for helping us out, Gahyeon," Hyunjin said as she gave her friend another hug. "You've done more than enough."

"If the favor is for a friend, I'd do it anytime! If you need any more help in your investigation, don't be afraid to reach out. And, don't worry, I won't disclose anything we discussed here today."

Just when they were prepared to head back down the stairs, they heard the doors open. Gahyeon seemed to distinguish the person who walked in as she excused herself and speedily flew back down to the bottom floor. Everyone else did not recognize the person until Gahyeon led her further into the building, causing her face to become clearer and her voice to echo. 

"...I simply need to make sure that any information has been eradicated," the woman said, faintly being heard by the other women.

"Yes, no worries, I already dealt with the records," Gahyeon told her. "No one will find out by coming here."

"Excellent. We need what happened to remain in the past. I hope you understand that."

"Of course, no one will get it from me."

"Wait for a second, is that...no," Heejin shook her head slowly and backed away from the banister, a panicked expression on her face. 

"Heejin, isn't that your mother? The bitchy one, right?" Hyejoo realized, noticing that the familiar face was of Ida, which was a face already glued to her mind. "What the fuck is she doing here for?"

"Something about destroying some records. That's odd- hey, Heejin, are you alright?" Jinsoul, as well as everyone else, watched Heejin backing away and begin to breathe heavily.

"I need to get out of here..." Heejin said quietly as her eyes darted frantically around the space. Her back hit an empty wall and she slid down it, hitting the floor and grasping her chest.

"Heejin?..." Chaewon spoke up worriedly but before she could speak again, the half-succubus was already by the cosmic witch's side.

"Shh, calm down," Hyunjin whispered, embracing the hyperventilating witch while stroking the top of her head. "She's not going to find you." 

"B-But..."

"Your mother isn't going to see you, I promise," Hyunjin stated reassuringly, allowing for Heejin's head to rest on her chest as she continued: "You're too high up for her to notice you. I know you're scared that what happened previously will happen again but I promise it won't. You're safe here with us - with me. I'm not going anywhere."

Heejin relaxed slightly but her heavy breathing could still be heard. Hyunjin remained quiet and continued to comfort her through actions, which seemed to gradually bring the cosmic witch out of her panic. None of the other women said a word or moved even slightly, gazing at the scene with a mix of marvel and stupefaction. While it eventually became too clear to them what was transpiring, no one expected the half-succubus to be able to handle the situation so well, as if she had experienced this a hundred times before. While the four of them did not know the full reason why Heejin reacted this way, they now had a hint of the reason.

Chaewon glanced back at the bottom floor and saw that Gahyeon was leading Ida out of the building. For a split second, she thought she noticed Heejin's mother lock eyes with her but by the time she looked again, the mother was already gone. The concern in the pit of Chaewon's stomach that stemmed from the night she met Heejin's parents only got worse from this moment on. 

Luckily, Heejin was able to mostly recover and stand on her feet again, still anxious but no longer panicking. Hyunjin clung onto Heejin's side, still keeping an arm around her waist.

"I'm sorry..." Heejin looked down at her feet. "I shouldn't have overreacted..."

"Don't apologize for that. There was nothing wrong with what you did," Jungeun smiled comfortingly. "None of us are upset. We're just glad you're feeling better."

"Yeah, don't feel bad," Hyejoo waved it off. "We wouldn't get angry over that. The important thing is that you're safe."

"Thanks, guys... I really appreciate it," Heejin finally looked up, surprised by the supportive faces. 

"You will be okay, right?" Chaewon asked worriedly. "Do you need us to do anything?"

"No, I'll be fine..."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of her when we get back to the dorms," Hyunjin told them. "Thanks for being understanding. Just, please don't discuss what happened with anyone or mention this again. I'm sure you can understand why."

"Of course, we won't," Jungeun nodded. "Let's leave that in the past."

"Sorry about that! Phew, she's pretty terrifying," Gahyeon sighed in relief as she arrived on the top floor. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing. But we now have one more piece of information we have to know," Jinsoul folded her arms sternly. "What did you talk about with Heejin's mother?"

"Nothing important, it was-"

"So destroying records is 'not important'?" Hyunjin chimed in, looking just as furious. "Gahyeon, we've been friends for a long time. I know you very well and I don't appreciate being lied to. Tell us the whole truth immediately."

"Well, I suppose I don't have a choice, do I?" Gahyeon once again sighed, sounding more regretful. "Alright, where do I start..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! After the softness of last chapter, this one is definitely a contrast. Hyunjin joined the coven to go into The Departed Realm, the realm for demons. Even though the purpose was to gain insight into Chinhwa, we also got to know more about Heejin and Hyunjin's backstory and connection - especially at the end. Hyunjin being able to comfort Heejin easily during her panic attack shows that this wasn't the first time this has happened. Honestly, Heejin's story is the main reason (not the only but she is a part of many tags) why this fic is rated M and why there are some darker tags, so prepare for her story in the future. It won't be revealed soon but there will be clues here and there that you can theorize on. 
> 
> Not to spoil anything but the story is emotional, especially for me since it's similar to what happened to me in the past - same with the panic attack. But, I think that makes the story telling more heartfelt that way. Honestly, I feel like you all will love Hyunjin in this story <3
> 
> Anyway, tell me your thoughts on the first chapter! I can't wait to read your predictions, hopes, and thoughts on this chapter and the rest of the fic!
> 
> > Updates every five days  
> > Insta: @hyesappho 
> 
> See you next time!


	9. 𝑰𝑿 - 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒈

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙤𝙩 - 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚

Hyejoo parked her sister's car into the university's parking lot, right in front of her dorm building. Before getting out, she checked a fifth time that she bought everything she was supposed to. 

Tonight was not only a full moon's night but also the first time she would be without her other coven mates. The whole night would be spent with Chaewon, which she was both excited and nervous about. While the two of them had been getting along quite nicely and better than she had expected, Hyejoo still could not shake off the thought of all the possibilities that happen tonight. Normally, she would not be worried, even if it was known that witches do or say certain things that would not normally commit. In hindsight, Hyejoo would not have shown Chaewon the camera or her room so soon but that still occurred regardless. Many scenarios were possible, especially if they were going to be alone.

The card was also prominently in her head recently. Ever since Chaewon was sick a few days ago, her mind would wander off and she would recall the "The Lovers" card that laid on her desk. Every time she glanced at it even for a second, she would attempt to decipher its true meaning. By now, Hyejoo was convinced that Chaewon must be the one she was destined to be close with, as per the card's meaning. But what was still up in the air was whether their bond had reached its peak at friends or would roam even further. Because of this, she worried that a situation would transpire that they would later regret.

Chaewon and Hyejoo had been mostly the same since they came back from The Departed Realm. The only issue on her mind might be insignificant but still replayed in her mind to this very moment:

𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘙𝘛 𝘖𝘍 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏𝘉𝘈𝘊𝘒

"Before you get any misconceptions, I didn't actually destroy any files," Gahyeon claimed when starting her explanation. "I only told Ida that so she would finally leave me be. In actuality, I hid the records where she or anyone she is working for can't search."

"But who were these records of?" Jinsoul asked. "Why would they be significant for Heejin's mother to obtain?"

"I... can't tell you that."

"Gahyeon, I told you to tell me the truth," Hyunjin reminded. 

"I'm trying to but I'm on a witch's contract," Gahyeon confessed. "I can't tell you certain information using any form of communication, lest I get punished by your council. One word and Ida will automatically know I told you, putting me and all of you at risk."

"The council? So they play a part in this," Hyejoo pointed out. 

"Before we make assumptions, Gahyeon, you should at least attempt to work around the contract," Jinsoul persuaded. "Maybe the council had a good reason."

"Tsk, of course," Heejin mumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes slightly at the lunar witch. 

"I can assure you that it's not a good reason," Gahyeon stated firmly and carefully. "I can't go into details but your council isn't as picture-perfect as they tried to be perceived. You all should be careful, especially you two."

Gahyeon looked directly at Chaewon and Hyejoo before exhaling nervously.

"I can't tell you why but you two have to watch your back,"' Gahyeon told them. "You won't know the worst of this ordeal until it hits one of you first."

"What does that mean?" Chaewon questioned, partially lost.

"I can't tell you what that means but you'll know when it happens," Gahyeon responded vaguely before facing Jinsoul. "And you also should be cautious but for a different reason. Please don't lose sight of who is more important in your life." 

"I..." Jinsoul stared at her for few seconds before saying: "Thank you for the warning. Is that all you can tell us?"

"Yes, unfortunately. But I can say that the path you're taking right now will help you discover what I can't tell you."

𝘌𝘕𝘋 𝘖𝘍 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏𝘉𝘈𝘊𝘒

Hyejoo knew that the warning was vague but that did not stop her from taking every necessary precaution. That is why she went to get all of the items for the full moon's night alone and told Chaewon to stay inside after her classes. While the faery witch was a fast learner with spells and had progressed to level four in two months, she was still too inexperienced to tackle any danger. Since hunters were known to prey on innocent witches like her on these nights, it was better to be safe than sorry.

As Hyejoo walked across the parking lot and got closer to the building, she noticed someone familiar standing in front of some bushes. 

"Haseul?" Hyejoo recognized the half-zombie staring out into the parking lot, barely shifting an inch until she heard her name. 

"Hello...Have we met before?" Haseul waved, completely out of her trance. 

"Uh, yes, I'm Son Hyejoo. I'm friends with your roommate. You met me when we talked about Lee Chinhwa."

"Hyejoo? Ah, I recall hearing about your name.... several times," Haseul slowly recalled. "Hmm..."

Haseul reached out her hand and gently touched Hyejoo's chest. After a few seconds of the dragonic witch standing frozen in place, the half-zombie pulled her hand away and said:

"You're warm."

"Huh?"

"Your body radiates warmth...meaning that you're not a threat," Haseul elaborated. "If you were cold, then you would be dangerous..."

"You can tell that by how warm my chest is?"

"Mhm."

"That's a... unique ability," Hyejoo complimented. "Anyway, what are you doing out here? You know that tonight is a full moon, right?"

"Really? I never heard that today...or at least I don't think so," Haseul said, maintaining her slow and monotonous voice. "I don't know why I'm here...I don't remember..."

"It's alright. Let me just take you to your dorm for now," Hyejoo sighed. "I don't want you to get harmed on the way."

"Thank you..."

Hyejoo walked Haseul to her dorm building that was a few-minute walk away. They went into the building and the elevator.

"You might not remember so this may be a stupid question but...have you seen Aine lately?" Hyejoo asked hesitantly while elevator doors were closing.

"Mhm...November 29th."

"That was yesterday... Wait, how do you remember that?"

"Aine always tells me... every visit the date," Haseul told her. "When someone tells me information... I remember it... pretty well. Just like I knew your name... but not your face..."

"Huh... Heejin did explain that..."

"Heejin...I remember that name... Jeon Heejin..." Haseul slowly got out as the elevator doors opened and they walked out. 

"You met Heejin before?" Hyejoo asked, glancing around to make sure the hallway was empty. 

"Yes..." Haseul nodded. "Heejin was such a warm person...with a warmer girlfriend...surrounded by such cold people."

"Warmer girlfriend?..." Hyejoo repeated. "Who's the girlfriend?"

"Heejin's girlfriend comes from the...hottest realm filled with creatures who are... misunderstood," Haseul continued. "Creatures who everyone thinks is cold... because of my murderer. But the realm is much...warmer than others may think... in actuality and their nature..."

Before Hyejoo could question further, they finally reached Haseul's dorm. 

"You remember what to do tonight, right?" Hyejoo asked as the half-zombie entered the room. 

"Stay inside and don't open the door for anyone..." Haseul recalled. "Thank you for your concern... Have a good evening..."

"You too," Hyejoo said while waving, pausing to hear the door lock before walking back to the elevators. 

While she left the building, Hyejoo pondered on what Haseul's statement could entirely mean. Knowing that "cold" seemed to be used as a way to refer to someone vile and morally depraved, this meant that Heejin had many wicked people close to her. Hyejoo would not consider the coven since they were nice people - even Jinsoul usually.

That caused her mind to relate back to yesterday. Watching Heejin having a panic attack over her mother being in the same vicinity as her was devastating, especially when the cosmic witch often tried to bottle up her emotions. The memories of the dinner with Heejin's parents also came to mind, recognizing how fake and controlling they appeared to be. Considering her mannerisms, Heejin was on edge every time someone even mentioned her parents, creating the theory that many atrocious acts went on in that family. Truthfully, Haseul's statement just added more evidence to her claims.

But then there was Heejin's girlfriend. It was no secret that the cosmic witch was seeing someone for a while now but only Jungeun truly cared. None of them had even caught a glimpse of the girlfriend since she was good at covering up her private life, which was completely justified. If Heejin's girlfriend lived in the same place as Haseul's murderer, Chinhwa, that would mean she was a demon as well. The theory had merit since Heejin did use to spend most of her time in The Departed Realm.

If Haseul was referring to the girlfriend as "warmer", that meant that this woman was a source of comfort for Heejin. The girlfriend might have been someone who aided Heejin in the past from the "cold people" in her life. 

So, a comforting woman, who was a demon, that was helping Heejin get through the traumas caused by her parents.

Just when Hyejoo got into her dorm building and got in the elevator, it finally clicked. And when it did, it made the dragonic witch feel stupid for not realizing this sooner.

***

"Hyunjin is Heejin's girlfriend?" Chaewon whirled her head away from her laptop to face Hyejoo, eyes widened. "So it was confirmed?"

"Wait, you already thought they were?" Hyejoo questioned, speaking to her roommate from the bed. 

"Yes, for a while, actually," Chaewon nodded. "I thought I heard them kissing once but I tried to shrug it off, thinking that I was overanalyzing. Then Hyunjin would be all secretive about their relationship but also smiled when she spoke about Heejin, kind of like a person in love. And then it was just the small things, like the loving stares, that made me speculate. I truly thought that I was being delusional."

"Well, it seems like you're not unless there's another female demon that is close with Heejin and can comfort her in an instant."

"Well, if that's the case, then I feel bad for then now," Chaewon frowned. "Think about it - Heejin is supposed to be a council member in the future. If they found out her relationship with Hyunjin then..."

"Hyunjin could be executed," Hyejoo sighed at the realization. "They probably won't harm Heejin to the point of death because of her status but still..."

Chaewon had heard stories about mixed-species couples getting outed. While each species had its own set of rules regarding these types of couples, most are strongly against them. Punishments could range from public humiliation to torture and even death. Witches were the top enforcers of this rule and heavily forbade any species to intermingle with their own kind. 

Some witches have pointed out that the council was biased in how they treated those who broke this rule. If the species was highly respected - like faeries or elves - the punishment would be lighter than those of lower status - like zombies or demons. The rule did get more complicated for those like Haseul, who was forced into being part zombie due to her death. But, for the most part, the rules still applied. So if Heejin and Hyunjin were dating and the council found out, they would be in huge trouble. 

"We have to protect them at all costs," Hyejoo spoke up confidently. "We can't let anyone find out about their relationship, especially Heejin's parents."

"Definitely, I don't want any harm to come to them," Chaewon nodded in agreement. "Gosh, I can't believe their girlfriends. I'm happy for them, though. Hyunjin seems much more lively when Heejin is in the picture."

"Same with Heejin. I just hope they're both alright mentally. The secret must be a lot of stress."

Chaewon finished her homework after twenty minutes and the women were free to spend the whole night together. Just like a few days ago, they ate food, watched movies, and conversed with each other until late in the night. The time flew by faster than they had anticipated as when they checked the time, it was already eleven o'clock. 

"Hyejoo, can I ask you something?" Chaewon started to say as sleep began to take over them. Both were laying on the floor with a pillow under their heads and their own blankets over their bodies. 

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering if we could go somewhere next week," Chaewon continued nervously. "I needed to get some crystals for...a project and I need to go the dragon realm to get some rarer ones. Since you're the expert, I thought you could guide me?..."

"Sure, I don't mind," Hyejoo said with a hoarse voice. "I haven't been there in a while, anyway. I know where to find some rare crystals so we can be in and out in no time." 

"Thank you so much," Chaewon smiled. "You know, there's always one thing that is always on my mind these days."

"What is it?..."

"After we finish my mother's task and find Chinhwa, there isn't much we'll have to do. I mean, hunters will still be an issue but it isn't anything you all aren't used to tackling alone. So... I wonder if we'll be distant after my contract with Jinsoul ends."

"I don't think our bond will change much," Hyejoo stated her opinion as if she was certain. "We do have our own paths after the fact but we'll still be roommates and friends. I will still text you and we can hang out a bit. And if you want to stay in the coven then we'll see each other even more often. But, ultimately, it's your decision."

"I do want to stay but I don't want to be a burden..."

"You're not a burden and never will be. No witch is perfect at all spells and can handle hunters with ease at the first few mission. You're a fast learner and I think you will do great. We'll go over what you've learned on Saturday but I think you're prepared."

"I don't know. I don't think I'm the right fit for the coven. I'm such a clutz so I would be too slow and would second guess myself. I would probably make the missions even difficult and-"

"Chaewon, don't say things like that," Hyejoo interjected, refusing to hear anymore. "You're not going make our missions any more challenging. It's okay to make mistakes - I do them all the time, even with the half a year experience. That's why we work together so we can make up for each other's weaknesses and create a cohesive team. None of us expect to be an excellent spellcaster because that's unattainable. As long as you work with us, you'll fit right in perfectly."

"Are you sure about that?" Chaewon looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"I'm more than sure," Hyejoo confirmed with a firm nod. "You always have me to protect and guide you through these missions. Trust me - your first one will be a piece of cake. Just stick close to me and you'll be fine." 

Chaewon had a warm feeling in her chest as a result of Hyejoo's words. Sometimes, it was unfathomable to think that they went from being reserved roommates to being dear friends. It felt like fate that the two of them were put together when they could have shared a dorm with anyone. Now, they talked more than ever and lost all anxious tension between one another. It was like a huge breath of fresh air.

"You're too nice to me."

"Why would you say that?" Hyejoo raised an eyebrow.

"I know that when you came here, you didn't want any friends, you told me that," Chaewon elaborated. "But, here you are, spending the night in my room. You didn't have to say yes to anything I've wanted to do but you did. You didn't have to take care of me when I was sick but you did. Don't get me wrong, I love that we are friends but you could have easily ignored me."

"I could have and I wanted to leave you be in the beginning," Hyejoo told her truthfully. "But then you turned out to exceed my expectations and I couldn't help but constantly hang out with you."

"Expectations? What were they?"

"That you would be that typical roommate - loud, nosy, and overall just annoying," Hyejoo explained. "But you're the complete opposite. You're caring and quiet but also are enjoyable to talk to. Even if you get overly ecstatic, you still don't reach the point of overbearing. And, on top of that, you're a witch like me. So I feel so lucky that it was you versus any other woman."

At the back of Hyejoo's mind, she did not know how the correct but profound words were coming out of her lips. What she was saying was the truth but the way it was phrased made it sound too heartfelt than intended. But for some reason, that realization did not stop her from speaking her mind. Whether it was the full moon talking or now, she did not care.

"I'm glad my roommate was you too," Chaewon told her back, her smile broadening and eyes partially squinted. "You know, this whole two months and a half months have been unexpected but in a good way. I learned more about myself in that time. And I bet once we figure out what these necklaces mean and why they're so significant, I'll learn even more. Maybe it means we were friends in another lifetime or something."

"Maybe or that we were friends in the past," Hyejoo theorized. "Besides, you seem like someone I would've been close with when I was younger. But there has to be more to it than that. I mean, this was given to a couple of thousand people and we just happen to be one of the last people to own one. If we could find Aine, I'm pretty sure all our problems would be solved. She seems to be involved in everything."

"Yeah but if we found her, that would make the journey less interesting," Chaewon chuckled, causing Hyejoo to whine. "But, who knows? Maybe she's right under our noses this entire time."

The room went quiet after that. After a few minutes, Hyejoo saw Chaewon's eyes closed and inferred she had drifted off to sleep. The dragonic witch figured she always slept so adorably by the way her lips always pouted and would whimper every now and then. Their faces were half a feet away from each other, which made it easier to point out details she failed to notice previously. Hyejoo noticed the small scar on her left cheek that was healed a long time ago but still made a barely noticeable indent. Every detail she discovered - from delicate hands under curled up at her chest to the rosy pink color at the tip of her nose - fascinated her as if she staring at a painted picture.

Maybe it was due to her emotional side awakening by the full moon's effects, or maybe it was because of the opportunity. Maybe it was a combination of both that led Hyejoo to press a feathery kiss on Chaewon's cheek, right over the scar. Moments later, Hyejoo leaned back after realizing what she had done. She quickly turned her body and faced the wall, cheeks burning.

There was a new feeling in her chest that made it difficult for her to drift off. At first, Hyejoo assumed it was the regret of kissing the cheek of her friend. But gradually, it felt less like shame and more like the feeling of discovery. 

And at that moment, the card she was given at the beginning of all this mess finally made sense.

***

By the next day, Chaewon and Hyejoo waited in the realm and address that Heejin texted them. The cottage they had been standing in front of for the past ten minutes appeared to be completely abandoned and ancient. Despite this, they trusted Heejin's judgment and decided to not question it. 

"This has to be the creepiest place I've ever been to," Chaewon remarked, noting how dark and eerie their surroundings looked. "It's hard to believe Yeojin lives in a place like this. She looked so bubbly when I met her and this area is the complete opposite. It kind of reminds me of those- Hyejoo, are you listening?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, sure," Hyejoo nodded, facing the faery witch suddenly. "Sorry."

"What's going on with you today?" Chaewon asked with worry. "Ever since this morning, you've been distracted. Did something happen last night?..."

"N-No! I'm just sleepy, that's all..."

"If you say so," Chaewon told her, still unconvinced. "I hope I'm not annoying you..."

"No, you're not! You would never annoy me," Hyejoo claimed genuinely. "Trust me, I'm just tired from staying up late last night."

"Alright, just making sure..." 

Hyejoo wanted to reach out and attempt to convince Chaewon that there was no ill intent, however, she found did not know what to say. It was the truth that she did not mean to ignore her on purpose but the actual reason why was not something she could tell her easily. That would involve talking about last night, which Hyejoo was fully against doing. Instead, she told her:

"Chaewon? Do you remember how we're supposed to go over more spells later today?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, how about afterward, we can go out to a movie or something?" Hyejoo asked, glancing at the ground as she spoke. "You don't have to but I thought that it could be fun. We're always going to the faery realm to hang out so maybe we could switch it up a bit."

"I would love to," Chaewon nodded. "You're right - a change of scenery would be nice. Plus, I'd love to know what kind of movies you're into since all the other times we've watched any were my choice."

"Actually, I'm not too much of a movie person but I do have an interest in horror," Hyejoo admitted.

"Horror, huh? I'm usually pretty sensitive to horror but if you're willing to put up with my constant jolting and screaming, then I'd be happy to accompany you," Chaewon giggled, causing the dragonic witch's heart to palpitate.

"Okay then. It's settled," Hyejoo smiled, finally getting Chaewon to forget the earlier ordeal. But besides that, the idea of going out with Chaewon made her have this unfamiliar sense of joviality as if she had won a prize.

"You two are here on time," Heejin came up to them a few minutes later. 

"Figured that we didn't want to annoy you," Hyejoo explained. "But are you sure we have the right place? This place looks like it hasn't been touched for decades."

"I'm positive. My time-lapse readings are never wrong. Plus, you can see a few of the rose quartz crystals not far from her. I know this is the place."

"Then let's not waste any time then," Hyejoo encouraged as the three of them walked up to the front door. For once, it would be just the three of them since Jinsoul and Jungeun still needed intimate time together after their permanent love bonding.

Hyejoo went up and knocked on the door a few times. There was a short commotion inside the house before they received any sort of response.

"Who dare trespasses on my property?"

The group was taken aback by the question. Not because it was threatening - not even close, in fact, the opposite. The voice belonging to this question sounded very young and innocent as if it was a child attempting to be frightening. However, if Chaewon was not mistaken, the voice sounded identical to Yeojin.

"Uh, we do," Hyejoo responded awkwardly. "I'm Son Hyejoo and I'm here with my friends Jeon Heejin and Park Chaewon. We're not here to cause any trouble, we just need to ask you a few questions."

"Ah, you three? I'm surprised you didn't bring the other two but maybe this will make our exchange go quicker and with some extra flair."

"What do you mean-"

"A few questions first for Chaewon: vanilla or chocolate?"

"Um, vanilla?" Chaewon answered, confused about where this was leading.

"Do you like frogs?"

"Yes, I think they're cute."

"Are you mixed with any species, specifically an elf? Or possibly died and became a new species entirely? Do have an abnormal body part usually associated with another species? Do you have-"

"What are you asking these questions for?" Hyejoo interjected. "She's purely a witch."

"Aw, that sucks. Fine... I'll let you in..."

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing nothing but a dark space. The three of them entered the house and the door immediately slammed afterward. There was no sign of Yeojin anywhere or even a sign that anyone lived there in the first place. 

"Were we hearing things?" Chaewon asked, looking around perplexedly. "Where did she go?"

Before anyone could speculate, a conniving laugh echoed through the darkness.

"𝘔𝘺, 𝘮𝘺. 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘴𝘰... 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦..."

"Valuable?..." Heejin repeated with suspicion. "Look, we aren't here to play any games. Either you show yourself or I'll force you to."

"𝘏𝘮𝘮, 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦... 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯?"

"This better be quick..." Heejin crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently while the voice cleared her throat.

"𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰? 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘺, 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭... 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘣𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦... 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴..."

"What kind of experiments?..." Chaewon asked nervously. 

"𝘈𝘩, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬..."

At the corner of their eyes, they saw the only source of light in the room. The light came closer until it took the form of a butterfly, flying around them. 

"𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘺𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥," the butterfly began to say. "𝘏𝘦𝘦𝘫𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘐'𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩. 𝘑𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘶𝘯...𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘭𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦."

"Why are you so obsessed with analyzing us?" Hyejoo asked, following the butterfly with her eyes. 

"𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘺, 𝘐'𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵-𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘤𝘺. 𝘐𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦? 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘔𝘪𝘩𝘪, 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵?"

"How do you know-"

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘥."

The light that formed the butterfly glowed brightly, causing the three women to shield their eyes to avoid being blinded. There was a gust of wind followed by a "pop!" sound. 

"You can open your eyes now!"

Once they did as they were told, the room that was previously pitch black was now completely lit. In place of the butterfly, there was a short woman with pigtails and a witch's hat on top of her head. The outfit was fairly casual compared to her large hat - a long white dress with dangling frog earrings, walking around completely barefoot. 

"Im Yeojin, at your service," the woman introduced herself, bowing briefly. "Solar witch, alchemist, and frog expert! It's a pleasure to finally be graced with your presence. I'm guessing that using the crystal to find me wasn't too troubling?"

"Wait, you gave that to me so we could find you?" Chaewon asked.

"Of course! I wouldn't give a crystal, especially a rose quartz, to just anyone I meet," Yeojin giggled. "I knew you would need to find me eventually so I gave that to you. Do you think I needed help to find the building? I just needed an excuse to catch your attention and start up a conversation. But it all worked out in the end, right?"

"Anyway, now that your introduction is over, we need to ask you a few things," Heejin started. "First of all, we need you to give us any information on Mihi that you can. I know she's passed away long ago but anything on her life would help."

"I'd be happy to tell you anything but I can't tell you for free!" Yeojin stated. "I need a trade, of some sort."

"What? Do you want money or something?"

"Have you not been listening to my speech? I have only one thing I desire..."

Yeojin pulled their attention towards a shelf behind her, pointing out the dozens of jars. She picked a small empty one and showed the label to Heejin. 

"Demon, witch blood infusion...," Heejin read aloud before adding: "What is that supposed to mean- no."

"Aw, come on! I just need a bit of your blood for my experiments," Yeojin pleaded. "I won't even have to kill you to get it!"

"Excuse me but how did you get all of these things?" Hyejoo interjected, reading the labels of the jars filled with varying liquids and body parts. "You have vampire bat wings, tails of hybrid animals, horns from demons, and... so much blood..."

"As I said, I do a lot of experiments," Yeojin chuckled. "I'm an alchemist so I try to understand the world around us. Since there are so many creatures and realms to explore, it's hard for me to not come back with a few souvenirs. Don't worry, most of these people were dead already when I took them, with a few exceptions..."

"So, are you trying to kill us to get something for your experiments or...?" Chaewon questioned worriedly. 

"No, I would never! You three aren't a threat so I wouldn't dream of it," Yeojin denied. "But I do still want payment for the information I'm given. Maybe if I can a bit of your friend's blood, that would be sufficient. As I said, you all are valuable so I can't waste this opportunity! I mean, how many witches out there have demon blood in their veins? That is incredible!"

"I'm not giving you any bit of my blood," Heejin refused sternly. "Don't even think about it."

"Ugh, then I have to get some other payment," Yeojin pouted. "Got anything else to give me?... Or maybe, someone...?"

"It depends, what are you looking for?" Chaewon asked.

"Hmmm, maybe some elves would be nice. I did have an idea for an experiment and there was this one elf at our university I've been trying to contact..."

"Who's that?"

"Choi Yerim."

Chaewon's eyes grew wide when she heard the name. On one hand, the opportunity was perfect as Yerim was one of her dearest friends and would probably agree if she asked. Yerim was the type to try new things, even if it would get her into danger in the moment or the future. But, on the other hand, Chaewon did not fully trust Yeojin yet. She may be cute but she also had this underlying devious side to her. And to add to that, Chaewon did not know if Jinsoul would appreciate bringing another person into their business. But, as long as Yeojin would not harm her friend, it was all worth it.

"You wouldn't hurt Yerim, right?" 

"No! I would never!" Yeojin shook her head. "I would only just do some tests and I'll be on my way. Besides, I wouldn't hurt anyone as adorable as she is!"

"Then here's the deal," Chaewon began to say, having made up her mind. "Since Yerim is my friend, I can get her to work with you for the payment. In return, you not only answer our questions but also help us get to the last part of our mission."

"Mission, huh? That sounds exciting!" Yeojin remarked. "I could agree to that but I need an extra exchange for all the time I'm spending with you guys-"

"We have a witch who got turned into a zombie by a silvebeast."

"Then it's a deal!" Yeojin shook the faery witch's hand immediately, her mind made up. "Let's get started right away then! Sit down over here."

Yeojin brought the three of them to a table at the end of the room. On the table, there were a few snacks including three cups of vanilla ice cream.

"Chaewon said that was her favorite between the two flavours, so enjoy!" Yeojin told them as they sat down. "Now, what questions do you got? I'm guessing it's about Mihi, right?"

"Yeah, we wanted to know a bit about her past," Chaewon confirmed. "But mostly how it relates to Operation 100521, if you know what that is."

Yeojin paused and her cheerful expression fell instantly. She glanced between Chaewon and Hyejoo with nervous and big eyes before looking down at her lap. 

"Ah... I see..." 

"What? Is it about something terrible?" Hyejoo wondered, noticing the change in demeanor. 

"Terrible is a major understatement," Yeojin sighed. "The numbers '100521' stands for the date of the event - May 21st of 2010. That day was a disastrous day for a special race, the one that was referring to earlier. That's why you and Chaewon are so different, including Jinsoul as well. You guys are part of the lucky ones who survived that day..."

"Survived what?..."

"Have you heard what happened in Lesbos?"

"We've heard that the realm was attacked and hundreds died, which is why it's closed off," Hyejoo remembered.

"Exactly but there was a lot more than that. Uh, how did I start this...?" Yeojin pondered for a moment before continuing. "Lesbos was a unique place for witches because it created the first separate race of our kind - Solis, or solite, to refer to one person. It was created by Aine, a silvebeast who has been missing for years, in order to create a race that would be separate from other witches. After the council was formed, the message of the witches was ruined. Before it was about taking care of the universe and now it is simply domination over every race. Aine noticed this and created a race not bound by the rules of the council. Solis had special abilities tied to Mother Earth and its realm that allowed them the initial message to continue. They had the power to do many extraordinary things that are unimaginable today. It's only been a century since they were created and it feels like they've been around forever due to their influence on the universe we have today. And then...the council had to go and ruin it."

"So you're saying that the council was a part of the massacre?" Heejin concluded.

"They weren't just a part of it. They organized the whole event!" Yeojin stated, her voice raising in anger. "Operation 100521 was the movement to murder all that was left of the Solis Nation. It was started by the council and they brought anyone willing to do the deed, including witch hunters who could get millions of bucks out of it. They somehow got access to Lesbos and killed anyone in sight. Only a few hundred were able to escape but the council realized this and went on a hunt for the rest. Aine was also missing and they wanted her as well. For a while, the situation was calm but then they offered anyone who knew people, that were either close to Aine or was a solite, thousands of bucks to expose them. And for years, more and more Solid were targeted and murdered for selfish reasons... including a friend of mine."

"That sounds horrible!" Chaewon commented, disgusted by all she was hearing. "How could anyone agree to do such a thing?"

"Fear and greediness," Yeojin said simply. "They were driven by the fear of what Solis were capable of since they were known to be this 'super race' of witches. Also, their greed for money and power was a huge contributing factor. The non-humans wanted to be dominant over Solis and the humans wanted to make a profit. Nothing more than that."

"Why am I not surprised?" Heejin sighed, shaking her head into her hand. "I knew the council was always hiding something and couldn't be trusted. No wonder Chaewon's mother wants us to expose them so badly. I just wonder how no one else knew about this if it's so deplorable."

"The council have done a pretty good job blaming this on the humans and other non-human species," Yeojin exclaimed. "You wonder why some other species despise us so much? Do you wonder why so many witch hunters exist? I'm not excusing witch hunters because they are just as bad but we wouldn't have the problem become so widespread if the council had taken most of the blame."

"So then we're just cleaning up the council's mess..." Hyejoo grumbled in realization. "When we go out and take care of witch hunters, we just maintain the council's perfect image."

"Exactly but the disgusting nature goes deeper than that..."

"What do you mean?" Chaewon questioned, noticing how Yeojin was gazing at herself and Hyejoo.

"I'm assuming you know the reason why you have those necklaces," Yeojin started to explain. "You two are...a part of Solis. Jinsoul is too but..."

"But what?"

"Jinsoul is a weird case so I won't talk about her until I meet with her. But why I'm so concerned is that I don't know if the council realizes that you three are solites. Or maybe they do know but use that to their advantage. To say that they weren't monsters because they have solites working for them. I personally can't give a prediction but either is equally likely. Look, I want to tell you everything but... I'll tell you only one fact today. As we go through our journey together, I can tell you more facts instead of assumptions. Just be patient and I can tell you this. Heejin, how do you feel around Chaewon and Hyejoo versus Jinsoul and Jungeun?"

"Uh, I don't know, just...relaxed?" Heejin answered. "I feel like I can say more and not be nervous as much when I'm with these two. I thought it was because they were open-minded and introverted but...I feel like I can't be as stressed with these two than Jinsoul or Jungeun."

"Exactly, that's how Solis are," Yeojin stated. "They have this calming aura that allows people to be more willing to tell them things or just simply want to be around them. There are a few features that Solis have that set them apart but also bring them together. And that's probably why Chaewon and Hyejoo were able to get so close so quickly...that and another thing."

"What other thing?" Hyejoo asked.

"Being born in the same area and six days apart will cause a few things to happen. One is that you two grow up together, which is obvious. You two were close before being separated for safety reasons. The second thing is that Solis born in the same year have a tighter bond since they have a connection with a certain realm or aspect of the universe - like the galaxy, flowers, certain potions, etcetera. You two were born in the first year of this generation, 2000, so you two connect with Lesbos that no one else has. That's probably why Calliope entrusted that her daughter could uncover these secrets because you guys can gain access back into Lesbos, albeit with a little work. And the last thing is, because of your families, you have the potential to do one final thing...and that's why you two were set up to be friends since the beginning."

"Set up?" Hyejoo repeated with both herself and the faery witch looking at each other. "You mean, we were friends before now?"

"Mhm. Why do you think you two seem to complement each other so well?" Yeojin giggled, smiling once again. "You two were born so close together that your parents thought it was fate. So, they made it so you spent all your baby and toddler years together. And you two were inseparable because of that, well, until you two were forced to be apart. You two have the potential to use your combined abilities to find Aine or at least uncover the secrets that were forgotten after Lesbos was in ruins. So they set up a lot of things... because they knew they weren't going to be around in your lives that much. Everything from being told the history of Solis to being put in the same university...all because of that."

"But what kind of abilities do we have?" Chaewon asked, a million questions running through her head. "How do we use them? Where do we even start?"

"That's not for me to know," Yeojin shrugged. "But you do have time to figure it out. And when you do, I think that you'll realize a lot more about our universe than you have ever been taught."

"And how do you know all of this?" Heejin wondered. "You seem to know a lot about our families and personal life."

"Well, let's just say that I have amazing listening skills....and stalking skills but don't need to worry about that."

"What the-"

"But most of this information was taught by my mother coming from Mihi herself," Yeojin explained further. "What? Do you think I'm centuries old or something? Like a wise old lady in the form of a young adult? I mean, I wish I was wise mentally but I'm just a young woman with too much free time."

"Yeah...we can tell..." Heejin glimpsed back at the shelf of jars, shivering a little.

"But don't you go to university?" Chaewon thought.

"Hah, no. That was just an excuse for me to talk to you," Yeojin chuckled. "I'm the head alchemist at my job so I don't need anything that Earth can provide. I'm just here to find some specimens and materials, help you guys out, and do a bit of exploring. I'll probably leave once you all complete your mission."

"Good to note..."

"And if that's all you need, then that's all I can tell you for now," Yeojin finished up. "I'll make sure to meet up with you tomorrow so I can see that elf and witch-zombie. What a delightful opportunity!"

"Wait, one more thing. What about Mihi?" Hyejoo remembered. "You never told us anything about her."

"Well, compared to what already told you, I can't tell you in great detail," Yeojin confessed. "Sure, I'm her great-grandaughter but I was too young when she was alive. I only go off my mother's stories, which are vague as they could be. In relation to Solis, I know that Mihi was one of the nation's protectors. She defended them during Operation 100521 so she has firsthand experience. But, of course, I can't tell you what happened after that."

"That's okay. At least we got a bit of information."

"Oh! Before you go, you should meet my familiar for good luck!" Yeojin insisted. "Before I start any research project, I always pet my familiar. She always gives me better luck and fortune!"

"Uh, I guess we can..." Heejin agreed, confused but did not want to be rude by refusing.

"Great! Here she is!" 

Yeojin took both of her earrings off and laid them gently on the table. The frog section slowly merged and the chains disappeared, leaving an alive version of a frog in front of them.

"Her name is Elin, my tree frog familiar," Yeojin told them, allowing the frog to crawl into her hand. "She's a cutie and helps me with my work all the time! Just giving her a few pets always gives me luck! Here, try it!"

After looking at each other for a few seconds, Chaewon decided to be the one to reach out and place her hand on the frog. It felt strange touching a frog for the first time but she coped with it so she could pet it a few times, instantly retracting her hand after the fact.

"There, now you have good luck!" Yeojin beamed. "Use it wisely!"

"Thanks but I have one last question," Chaewon began. "You said that Aine has been missing for a while. The way you said that... made it sound like you knew her personally. Do you know her?"

"I mean, I was a child at the time but my mom did," Yeojin replied. "But I'll know her when I see her. The friend I lost... she was the reason why I have any interest. She knew Aine, even at her young age, and looked up to her. So maybe...she is alive but I'll probably never know."

"Maybe you will," Chaewon said comfortingly. Even if she did not know the girl, there was always a chance if Yeojin did not know whether her friend was dead or not.

"Maybe..." Yeojin sighed, frowning briefly before switching back to her eager personality. "Anyway, I shouldn't hold you any longer! I'm sure Jinsoul would like to know what we discussed so good luck with that. I know that she admires the council quite a lot..."

"I'm not going to be the one to tell her," Heejin claimed, turning to Hyejoo. "You're the only one of us she wouldn't yell at."

"I guess so..." Hyejoo admitted, knowing that the task was now put on her. Even if her sister would not get angry at her, she would try to ignore or deny most of the information. But, one of them had to speak up and she was, unfortunately, the best candidate.

Heejin groaned. "Jinsoul is going to go ballistic when she heard about this..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! This chapter was a bit more chill compared to the last one.
> 
> We started off with Haseul strangely being fperidot - the positive attitude towards the uncovering the secrets of the universeound outside by Hyejoo with no explanation. Luckily she was safe and sound but the whole ordeal was still suspicious. What do you all think happened? Following that, Chaewon and Hyejoo spent a night together. Hyejoo ended up getting caught up in the moment and kissed Chaewon's cheek, which she has mixed feelings about. She still can't get her emotions straight, huh? 
> 
> And finally, you all got fully introduced to Yeojin's character! How do you all like her? Personally, Yeojin was a character I was eager to write about since I had an image for her even before making the plot. She's playful and can be a tease but can read the room and get serious. She also has a... interesting hobby that lead into fun situations in the future. Ultimately, Yeojin will aid the coven in their future endeavors. As a stater, she revealed what Operation 100521 means and why Calliope is tasking them with this investigation. It was also confirmed that Jinsoul, Chaewon, and Hyejoo were a part of Solis and were close at a young age. There is still a lot to be revealed so stay tuned!
> 
> Anyway, tell me your thoughts on the first chapter! I can't wait to read your predictions, hopes, and thoughts on this chapter and the rest of the fic!
> 
> > Updates every five days  
> > Insta: @hyesappho 
> 
> See you next time!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back!! I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of my new fic! Honestly, it took a while to come up with everything since I was trying to research a bit into witches and magic. Some of the concepts and ideas are original but others stayed true to the wiccan practice. 
> 
> I'm excited to really expand on this new concept since I have a lot of plans! As I said before, the fic will be around thirty chapters so you're in for quite a lot. I kept the description of the story quite vague on purpose and I'm sure you'll see why later ;)
> 
> Since I started university last year and I'm in my second semester now, I thought I would make that the setting of the story. The focus will be on Chaewon and Hyejoo, as well as the developing relationship between them. However, like in my first series, the other members will get a bit of focus as well. But keep in mind that this is a HyeWon story so there won't be as focused on other characters as in the past. Most of what will happen will be through their perspective but there will be moments where that will change (they will be brief but purposeful). 
> 
> (I would like to remind you that even though the fic will be calm at first, the latter half might be a much darker. Make sure you follow the instructions in the notes at the beginning.)
> 
> Anyway, tell me your thoughts on the first chapter! I can't wait to read your predictions, hopes, and thoughts on this chapter and the rest of the fic!
> 
> > Updates every five days  
> > Insta: @hyesappho 
> 
> See you next time!


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